


Time (Massey)

by HisHeartKiller



Series: Time [1]
Category: Original Work, Time - Fandom
Genre: Apocalypse, End of the World, F/F, F/M, Family, Growing, Love, M/M, Multi, Origin Story, Original Fiction, Post-Apocalypse, Survival, Surviving, Undead, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies, changing, dead, living dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2019-10-23 12:02:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 39,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17683067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HisHeartKiller/pseuds/HisHeartKiller
Summary: time is story ive been working on since i was in the 8th grade and im 24 now. its about groups of people trying to survive the end of the world.please dont compare it to the walking dead. yes i love the walking dead but not all zombie things are the same. i hope you give it a try





	1. Introduction

Six months into the end of the world and a small group survived. Gavin Massey, who is only 25, has helped anyone and everyone survive this damn world. He lost a lot too. His younger sister, who he never cared for but he was raising her twin boys, Mark and Matthew. So he felt bad for them only. He lost his pregnant girlfriend. Almost lost his brother but he managed to save him just in time. Before this though, Gavin worked and co owned a gym for families. Actives to help parents stay in shape and keep the kids healthy. And daycare for toddlers who were too small to do anything. He is in good shape but not overly muscular. He lived with his girlfriend Summer of 10 years and they raised Gavin's nephews who were only 6. He had them since they were 2 weeks old. Along with 2 English bulldogs, Stella and prince. He had two best friends who were married and had a 3 year old son. They were killed when Dean rushed Hailey to the hospital to give birth. Now Gavin's raising Hunter and his newborn sister. But Gavin cares for more than just those 4 kids now.

Sebastian Massey, 22. Gavins younger brother. Before this he was a true rock star. Went on tours with his band and wife. He had not a care in the world. Now he has his 6 months pregnant wife and still doesn't care about anything.

Jessica Massey, 22. She is such a supportive wife. Went along with all of Sebastian's screw ups and craziness. She found out she was pregnant when they noticed the dead started to rise. Shes now 6 months along.

Ella Shaw, 26. She lived and travailed in her van. Never cared what people thought of her. Shes just a free spirit.

Emma Shaw, 23. Ella's younger sister. If you didn't know them you would think they were twins. They looked just alike. Except they were completely different. Emma was hardworking and driven. She was a live in nanny for a wealthy family. They had a 1 year old daughter Joy. Emma was hired when the baby was only 2 days old. When the dead started to rise the family abandoned Joy and Emma in their home when they fled the country. Emma tried so hard to keep Joy safe. She ended up calling her big sister for help.

That's everyone. Gavin seems to be in charge. They trust him. Gavin saved Ella, Emma and Joy from a hoard pounding against their van. So they trusted him. Him took them into an abandoned pet store they've been staying at. A total of six months and they are the only people Gavin has found. 

~~~

"Gavin where's the bottles at?" Jessica asked as she rocked Hope.

"In the breakroom. I cleaned them out." He stood. "I'll get them."

Gavin walked past the empty cages and tanks. When they first came in the fish tanks were full of dead fish and the small cages full of dead animals. Thankfully they didn't have any dog or cat adoption here. But they did have ferrets and two were still shockingly alive when they got there. They still are now. Summer named them Salt and Pepper before she was killed by a deadhead.

He made it to the break room and grabbed the formula from the cabinets. The bottle from the drainboard and a bottle of water from the fridge. They had running water and electricity. He filed one bottle for Hope. Three juice cups for Hunter, Mark and Matthew. And a sippy cup for Joy. He tucked it all into a diaper bag and came back out. He gave Jessica the bottle for Hope.

He went into a room they used as a kids play area but Gavin knew it was a cat or dog adoption room but didn't have cats or dogs in it. They took the cages out and let the kids have the room with toys and things they found in stores nearby. Gavin went in and put the three boys cups on the table so the boys could get them when they were thirsty. He went in the manager's office that was connected to the adoption room and handed Emma the sippy cup for Joy.

"Thank you." She smiled polity.

"You ready to go out?" Ella asked.

"Yeah just have to get some supplies." Gavin said.

Gavin left the office. He left the kids playing and saw Jess putting Hope down for a nap on one of the comfiest dog beds they had. Jess sat down on 4 layers of blankets She was behind several display shelves. So she was hidden.

Sebastian was at the cash registers counting the money. It was unimportant but he found it fascinating how much was there. "Watch your wife and help with those kids." He ordered his younger brother.

"They're not my kids." He grunted.

"I dont give a shit. Your lazy ass won't go on runs, so you need to help here. If you weren't my brother I would throw your ass out." He clarified. He was lying but he needed Sebastian to help.

"Gavin." Ella came up from the aisles. "I put the dogs in the storage room, I heard a few growls coming from the back. I checked the window hole and theres three smacking against the gates."

"We'll get 'em on our way out." He states.

"Okay why don't you get the packs ready." Ella said, trying to calm the tension in the room.

"Yeah." He went into the break room and unlocked the lockers, grabbing two go bags, 2 hand guns and Ellas battleaxe. Before she lived in her van she was a collector of anything, in her words, sharp and shiny. She kept most of the collection in a storage locker but she kept her favorite ones in her van, including the battleaxe. It's so simple, skinny and sharp. It fit perfect in her small hands.

Ella met Gavin in the back. Before opening the door Gavin saw the three deadheads through the window, they were are a safe enough distance to get out the back door. He used his side knife to kill two. Ella used her battle axe to kill one. They made sure the door was locked behind them. They didn't plan on going out far though so they used walkie talkies to keep in contact with the people back in the store.

They walked between the diner next to the pet stores employee parking. They hadn't been inside yet because they saw the deadheads through the windows.

"Lets get what's left in 7-Eleven. Put it away then make a run for the department store across the street." Gavin instructed.

"Did you grab the list?" Ella asked.

"Got it." He tabbed his shirt pocket.

They walked slowly around the pet store and grabbed shopping carts they left outside. Ella grabbed one and Gavin played bodyguard making sure no deadheads come near. He saw a few in the physical therapy building that was next to 7-Eleven but it was maybe 4 but they didn't pay any attention to the windows.

They walked in the convince store they knew was empty and grabbed the boxes they packed the last time they were here. Cans and bottles of soda, cases of waters, cereal boxes, cans of soup, left over bags of candy and some cartons of cigarettes for Sebastian. They headed back to the store, the sliding doors in the front were disabled and the steel shutters were down and locked. Gavin saw two deadheads coming and killed them quickly while Ella rushed around the store.

Ella grabbed the walkie. "Sebastian, unlock the doors." She ordered. "Sebastian." She said again. "Answer me!" She quietly yelled.

"Fuck, I got it!" He yelled.

Gavin used his knife to kill 4 more deadheads that seemed to come out of nowhere.

They made it to the back and Ella pushed the shopping cart into the back door and handed the cart off to Sebastian. He closed and locked the door.

"Anymore?" Ella asked Gavin.

"I don't see any." Gavin said.

They walked to the large street. Out of habit Gavin looked both ways at the street. Obviously no cars.

"Really?" Ella teased.

"Fuck off." He chuckled.

"Did you live around here?" Ella asked.

"About 20 minutes away. You?" Gavin asked.

"No actually. New York. But I was in Baltimore when Emma called me crying in fear. I drove my van through traffic and deadheads everywhere to get to her."

"Thats what like a 2 hour drive?" Gavin questioned, unsure.

"Yeah but it took me almost 3 days to get there because of the traffic and deadheads."

"Jesus." He stated.

They made it to the department store and Gavin had to break the glass sliding doors. They knew the noise from the glass would draw more but they needed to make sure that any deadheads inside went anyway. They jumped inside an empty dumpster and set their plan in motion. Gavin grabbed a toy car from their pack and attached a blow horn on it. With the horn blasting Gavin put the car out and used the remote to make the car go as far as it could go down the block, far away from any of the stores they would be going to. They watched from a crack as the deadheads exited the store and disappeared. They watched as so many chased the fading car. They carefully lifted the lid and headed into the store.

After grabbing two shopping carts they entered the store. They saw clothes first. "You take the baby stuff I'll go to the food. Be careful." Gavin instructed.

"Yes captain." She teased. She knew to be careful though. The baby aisle was so close to the entrance. She was there in a few seconds. Grabbed everything she seemed necessary. Onesies, pacifiers, bottles, socks. It's getting cold and they need them. She grabbed blankets and saw the wall of diapers and wipes. She knew she couldn't grab the boxes and started ripping them open. Laying the diapers and wipes packs out. She saw the cribs and baby accessories she wanted to grab but they didn't have enough cart space for big things.

She heard the sound of scuffling and then dropping she looked over and Gavin shouted. "2."

She looked around her and saw nothing. "You got enough?" She asked.

"Yeah." They met in the middle and left with full carts.

"This place was surprisingly full." Gavin said.

"This breakout or sickness whatever it is came on way to soon. No one had time to scavenge or live."

"We're alive."

"We're 4 adults and 5 children. That's it. It's just luck."

They saw a small batch of deadheads coming back from the way the toy car was. The horn must have died. They ran across the large street and behind the pet store to the back door.

"Sebastian." Ella said in the walkie. "Sebastian!" She saw the deadheads coming.

Gavin let his cart go and killed three deadheads with his knife.

"Sebastian!" Ella called once more and Sebastian opened up.

Gavin killed four more deadheads at different rangers with his gun. It had a silencer on it so that was okay.

They rushed inside with both carts. "What the fuck took you so long?" Gavin yelled. They made sure the back door was locked and joined their family in the front.

"I was takin a piss asshole." Sebastian grunted.

"Then give someone else the walkie." He sternly told his brother.

Gavin went to the front windows. They used contact paper for the windows to make sure no one can see in but they left a small patch open that they just covered with a large cabinet. Gavin moved it see if any deadheads were coming closer. If they were quiet they should be fine. He put the cabinet back.

Gavin looked over and saw Mark and Matthew coming over. "Whats up?" He asked them.

"I'm tired." Mark said.

Matthew nodded in agreement.

"Alright. Lets go." He knew the boys would be tired. The sun was going down quicker and the boys stayed up almost all of last night.

"Bathroom, get changed." Gavin grabbed two sets of Pajamas he had folded on display shelves.

~~~

The boys were dressed and Gavin took  them to the training lift. This was a balcony where the store seemed to store larger items, such as Great Dane products. They cleared it out and used it as a bedroom for the boys. After installing gates of course.

He tucked the boys in. 5 layers of blankets as the bed. One pillow for each. And two blankets to cover themselves.

"You need something just holler." Gavin said. He closed the gates to the balcony and went down.

He went to where Jess had her bed set up. He saw Hunter cuddling in her arms.

"Everyone's so tired." Gavin said.

"The boys had a party last night. Pillow fights, tag and hide and seek." She reminded him.

"I know. It's more fun to play in the dark for them." He said. He sat next to her on her bed and looked at Hope, only 6 months, sleeping so peacefully.

"I'm hungry." Hunter said.

"Alright. I'll get dinner started." Jess said.

"No, I got it." Gavin told her.

Gavin stood. "Dinner choice. Chicken noodle, Beefaroni cans, goulash kinda, or dry cereal."

"Beefaroni sound good." Emma said as she excited the manager's office with Joy. 

Gavin went inside the break room and plugged in the electric double burner they found in a house. Gavin grabbed a big pot and poured 5 cans of Beefaroni into it and started to cook. After the run today their cabinets were fully stocked.

~~~

"Dinners done." Gavin started to pour the soup into 5 adult bowls and 4 kid bowls. Lastly he took some baby food and mixed it in with some formula and put it in a bottle for Hope.

He checked on Matthew and Mark and they weren't sleeping yet so he brought them down for dinner. "After dinner I'll read you boys a bedtime story and then you can go to sleep."

"Okay." They came down and Gavin brought them to the table. It was set right in the middle of the store. One highchair for Joy. Three booster chairs for the boys. Someone normally hold and feeds Hope.

"You woke up Hope?" He asked Jess.

"Yeah, didn't want her sleeping to late." Gavin took Hope and fed her while everyone else ate. Sebastian ate and attached like an asshole like always. Then he went to the storage room and smoked one of the cigarettes Gavin grabbed.

After Hope finished her bottle she was wide awake. Gavin took her around to feed the two ferrets and the two large English bulldogs. Gavin put her in a baby walker and let her roam around the store.

He saw his little group get ready for bed. Jess barely changed out of pajamas so she just laid on her bed. Gavin saw Sebastian sitting at the cash register. Emma and Ella walked into the bathroom with Joy.

"I've got watch tonight." Ella shouted to Gavin before going to the bathroom.

"It's okay, I got it." Ella looked confused and walked over.

"You've been on watch all week. I've got it." She said.

"It's fine Ella. I sleep in the mornings anyway." He explained. He saw Hope trying to run towards the dog food shelves. "Get back here." He joked and the girl looked surprised.

"Seriously. Go to sleep. I can watch for tonight." She tried to persuade him.

"Ella, I need to do watch." He sternly stated.

"Okay." She headed to the bathroom just as Emma was stepping out with Joy.

Gavin looked around and saw Hope cruising towards Jessicas bed. Jess was reading a book to the boys. Gavin went to the windows and checked for the night. He looked out and saw it. A goddamn car. As far as he knew deadheads couldn't drive.

"Bas." He called his brother to look.

"Fucking people." He cursed.

"Ella." He called her as she exited the bathroom.

She came and saw the car at a distance. "What should we do?" She asked.

"We cant risk our kids." Gavin said.

"Would you have said that about me and Emma?" She asked.

"No but you needed help. They seem to be fine." He stated.

"Oh really?" She pointed to the window once more. He saw the group of deadheads rushing towards the moving van.

"Fine." Gavin accepted. "On the roof. Sebastian get the rifles out of the break room. Jess and Emma get the kids and yourselves on the balcony." He ordered. Jess lifted Hope out of the walker and rushed the boys to the balcony. Emma lifted Joy and climbed up there as well.

"Sebastian watch the back door." Emma stated. He gave her a look like 'fuck you.'

"Just do it!" Gavin ordered.

Ella and Gavin rushed to the roof with the rifles. They saw the van stalled on the street. The deadheads rocking it back and forth. Gavin used binoculars to see the van.

"I know that van." He stated.

Ella used her rifle scope and killed four of the deadheads.

Gavin got six of them.

The van still wasn't moving though.

Ella kept shooting deadheads coming towards them.

"I think they broke the van." Gavin said. He thought for a minute. "Hey! Up here." He saw a person's face pushing against the inside of the van. "If you can get around the store, you can come in." He yelled.

They saw the sun roof open and a man Gavin knew poke his head out. "The van is stalled. It wont move."

"We can keep the infected away can you run?" Gavin yelled.

Ella kept shooting the infected that were attracted by the yells.

"We have kids and dogs." He yelled.

Gavin thought for a moment.

"I'll get them with the van and you keep shooting from the top?" Gavin asked Ella.

"Yeah, hurry."

"I'll met you with my van! Get your people and shit ready." He used Emmas van. It was large, no seating in the back. But if people squeezed it could fit 12 people.

He rushed down and out the back door. It was dark but he knew Ella was guarding him. She shot three deadheads as he got into the van. He drove the three minute drive around the store and parked the back doors to the side of the van.

They could hear Ella still shooting.

"Get in quick." Gavin ordered the people.

Six adults, three kids and three dogs. Gavin knew them and they knew him.

They all squeezed in and closed the door. They had about six bags total, not very big ones.

They made it to the back of the store and rushed inside.

"It's good to see a friend." One of the men said.

They saw Ella come down from the roof. "Your friends?" She asked.

"Kinda." A man from the back said. "We met a few years back on a camping trip. My son became friends with his nephews so every year we met at the campsite. It's a tradition." The man put his youngest son down. "I'm Johnny, my wife Anne and our sons Noah and Eli."

"I'm Dean this is my wife Dani and our daughter Mya." Dean introduced himself as he helped lock and board up the door.

Then his identical twin brother said. "I'm David, this is my wife Charlie." He unleashed the dogs. They were friendly with Gavins dogs so it was okay. They had a large poodle mix. A small poodle mix and a golden retriever. Fluffy, Curly and Pongo.

"You can stay but you do your part just like everyone else." Gavin said.

"Of course." Dean said.

Dean Johnny and David were nearly 10 years older then Gavin but they knew the world out there was worse than having to listen to rules.

"So what do we do?" Anne asked.

"Did you eat dinner?" Emma asked.

"No." Charlie said.

"I'll make yous some dinner. Gavin tell Jess our new friends are safe."

"Is Summer here?" Charlie asked.

Gavin shook his head.

"I'm sorry." She said with sincerity.

Gavin left and told Jess who it was and that they were safe.

Mark, Matthew and Hunter were excited to see friends. Mark and Matthew liked Noah. Hunter who was only three likes Mya because she is four and Eli because he is only two.

"Boys are wide awake again." Jess laughed.

"Sorry about that but this is the first time we've seen our kids happy in months." Anne said.

"I'm not complaining." Jess stated. "I'm Jessica, Gavins sister in law."

"Anna." She shook her hand.

"Why dont we set up some beds?" Emma offered.

Gavin slept on the balcony with the boys, that is when he slept at night.

Hope slept with Jess and Sebastian on the blanket bed behind isle 10, close to the break room.

Emma slept with Joy on a blanket bed folded into a single in the very back left corner of the store. With a small space between them was Ella's blanket bed.

"We have extra blankets but not a lot." Jess said.

She pulled six quilts out of the small closet in the manager's office.

"Two for each." Emma handed Anna, Dani and Charlie the blankets. Then she grabbed the six sheets they had left.

"Starting tomorrow, we'll explained our watch shifts, supply runs and chores." Emma stated.

"Okay." Anne said.

~~~

"You need to surrender your weapons in here." Gavin told Johnny in the break room. They had a few knives, a bat and one gun.

"Thank you for taking us in." Johnny said.

"I didn't know there was anybody left." Gavin admitted.

"We didn't either."

"Get your family, soups done." Ella stated.

Johnny walked out and got his family.

Gavin went to find his brother.

"What are you doing?" He grunted.

"It's fucking paper." Sebastian grunted. 

"What?"

"This was so important. Now it's just fucking paper." Sebastian dropped the money.

"Why is any of that important? We live in a world where the dead are trying to kill us. We haven't seen real people in months, except for tonight. Your wife is pregnant. Does any of this factor into your brain!?" He sternly stated.

"Fuck you!" Sebastian yelled.

"Fuck you too but stop being so damn selfish and help out or I swear you won't get the same amount as everyone else." He threatened.

Gavin saw the kids playing hide and seek in the aisles. "Eat then bed." Gavin stated.

"Come on kids, dinner." Charlie stated.

Emma lifted Joy off the floor and took her to bed.

Hope was rolling around on Jessica's bed. Jess knew she was tired but fighting it.

"Bedtime boys." Gavin helped changed Hunter into pajamas and lifted the three boys into the balcony. When he went to check on them 5 minutes later they were fast asleep.

Gavin feed the new dogs and made sure they were all okay in the storage room.

He came back out and turn the lights off in the storage room, break room, main area, play room and manager's office.

The only lights still on were from the fish tanks. It lit up the dining table and a small area around the fish room.

"Tomorrow I'm going on a supply run to an Armory. It's an hour drive near a high school. We haven't been up there yet. I don't know what we're walking into." Gavin stated at the dinner table.

"I'll go." David offered. He didn't have kids.

"Me too." His wife Charlie stated.

"And I'm going back to the department store across the street. We've got more mouths we need more shit." Emma stated.

Johnny raised his hand. Offering to go. It was right across the street. They should be fine.

"Alright." Gavin said. "After dinner, sleep. We've got a long day coming." Gavin said. "Sebastian." He walked to his brother. "You're on watch tonight. Not a request. You will do it. Just watch the window, listen for growls, don't open doors."

"Why?" He grunted.

"Because I said so." He stated.

Gavin went back towards Jess and explained what was going on. He saw Hope wasn't asleep yet.

"Shes so excited." Jess said.

He made a growling voice. "Time to sleep!" He growled at the girl and she giggled.

He noticed Jess take a deep breath and put her hand on her stomach.

"Hows the baby?" He asked.

"Kicking like crazy."

"I cant wait to see what it looks like." He stated.

"I think she's going to be a little white girl with an Afro." Jess joked.

"But your black and don't have an Afro." He joked back.

"I have thick hair and I’m black but I’m everyone thinks I’m fucking white.” She joked. “ But my mother had an Afro. I think shes going to be white like Sebastian and poofy like my mother." She explained.

"What if its a boy?" Gavin asked.

"Same. But its a girl."

"How do you know?" He asked.

"I don't but Sebastian wants a boy so it needs to be a girl." She stated. Both she and Gavin were tired of his bullshit.

"You want me to take Hope?" Gavin offered.

"No I've got her." Jessica said. "She's so quiet all the time. Active and eats like a pig but so quiet."

"It's strange because Joy is so loud." Gavin spoke. "She cries though, right?"

"Sometimes but not long. I just hope it doesn't slow down her speech development." Jess worried.

"I doubt it. She'll be fine." He didn't want her to worry. "I'm gonna go to bed." He kissed Hopes head and went to the balcony with the boys. There is enough room so that they each have their own space.

Gavin hasn't slept more than two hours a day in months. He fell asleep so quickly.

 


	2. Stocking Up

"Time to wake up." Emma climbed the stairs to the balcony. 

She saw Hunter wake up first. "I made breakfast." She said in a cheerful voice. 

The other two boys popped their heads up. "I'll get your uncle." Emma said as she helped the boys down. She then climbed on the balcony. "Hey Gavin." She calmly said to him. "Time to wake up." She smiled when he opened his eyes. 

"Whats wrong?" He worried.

"Nothing. It's breakfast." She stated. 

He wiped his face. "Be down in few seconds." 

Jessica was setting up the tables. They used bags of hard food as chairs because they didnt have enough now. "Hey boys, after breakfast, it's bath time." 

"How do you give them baths?" Anne asked. 

"The grooming station. They have  _ do it yourself _ bathing centers for dogs. If you close the door they can get a little shower." She explained. 

"You mind if we bath the kids too?" Dani asked. 

"Go ahead." She offered. 

Ella came over. "Johnny right?" She asked the muscular man with semi long hair. 

"Yes."

"When we go out, we try not to use guns. If you have to, that's one thing but we try to keep it quiet. Today's run will be easy. Food, blankets and clothes." 

"Got it." He said. 

"Everyone sit now." Ella said. "Instant oatmeal, powdered scrambled eggs, coffee with powdered milk, and hot water and some tea bags." She started putting it all on the tables. "We're gonna need more booster chairs." She looked around. 

Gavin sat on the dog food bags and looked over at Jess, she looked in pain. "You okay?" He asked. 

"Yeah. Just hard to sleep with this giant belly." She joked. 

"If you get a boppy pillow and put it under your belly while on your side it feels mostly comfortable." Anne offered advice. 

Jess looked over at Emma. "I'll look for one." 

"Love you." Jessica smiled. 

Sebastian sat at the table next to his wife and didnt say anything. 

"How was watch?" Gavin asked. 

"Quiet." He grunted and grabbed some scrambled eggs and ketchup packs. 

Gavin shook his head. Changing the subject he asked. "Jess sorry to be a pain but you think you can cut the boys hair?" He saw the bangs getting their eyes as they tried to eat. 

"I can do it?" Dani offered. "I cut kids hair for a living." 

"Thank you." Gavin said. 

"A trim or short?" 

"Let the boys choose." He said. 

"Will do." 

~~~

They all ate and got dressed for their day ahead. 

"Boys." The three boys rushed to Gavin. "Listen to Jess. Let Mrs. Dani cut your hair."

"Yes." Hunter said. 

"Okay." Matthew shrugged. 

"Fine." Mark grunted. 

"I'll be back later tonight." He told them. He hugged them all. 

"Heres your bags." Ella handed three to Gavin. "Snacks, weapons, drinks." 

"Thank you." He said. "Ready?" 

"Yes sir." Charlie said. 

They headed to the back, checking the peep whole first. Only four. They opened up and David and Gavin killed the four. Charlie got in the van. 

Ella was getting hers and Johnnys bags ready. 

"Whats the bag for?" He asked. 

"If we get trapped we have a little bit of things to keep us comfortable." She explained. 

"Make sense." He stated. 

"Please be careful." Anne asked Johnny. 

"I will. But we need to help out here." He reminded her of whys he's doing it. 

"I know. Just be careful." 

"Promise." He told her. 

"Hey Dani, do you want to cut their hair first or do want me to bath them?" 

"Bath them. It'll be easier with wet hair." 

"Whose first?" Jess asked the boys and Hunter volunteered first. He loved being clean. 

Ella looked out the front window she saw a few deadheads, not enough to be concerned. 

"We should go now." She told him. 

"Okay."

~~~

"I thought you moved back to Texas?" Gavin asked David without taking his eyes off the road. 

"We tried. My brothers wanted their kids to grow up in our home town."

"We wanted to start a family there." Charlie said. 

"But when we got there to look for houses. The whole state was under quarantine. And this was about a month before anything happened in California and two months before anything happened in Philadelphia." 

"Yeah I heard of certain states being isolated before others." Gavin stated. 

"We have a map actually of the places we know are quarantined. We put X marks on the states that we've seen or been told wont let anyone in." Charlie reached in her pants pocket and grabbed it. "Washington, Oregon, California, Texas, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New jersey and New York. Oh and Washington D.C." 

"Where in Pennsylvania.” Gavin remarked. 

“After a while, there was no one left to block people out.” David explained. 

“What about Maine?" Gavin asked. His parents moved there when they retired. "And how did you get into Pennsylvania if it was closed, no one was there but the blocks were still up?"

"Not sure." David said. "And the barriers came down after everything was over run. I heard of a few states still having barriers and that those ones weren't even infected."

Gavin thought of a world with no deadheads. It seemed impossible now. They looked out the window and saw the deadheads wondering like they didn't know why they were here. 

~~~

Johnny and Ella were in the department store now. They stuck together since Johnny was new. 

"Baby blankets?" Johnny asked. 

"Winters coming, so yeah." Ella simply said. 

"Grab some adult clothes and shoes, boots just the comfortable stuff nothing fancy." Ella said. She heard some grumbling and carefully looked in the dressing room. She saw a woman half dressed. She was caught on wall hook by her ponytail. Ella put her out of her misery with her battleaxe. 

"So what else?" He had a pretty full clothing cart. He also had the Boppy pillow and some baby accessories. 

"Food, we're stocking up." She told him. 

~~~

"So Hunter, what kind of haircut do you want?" Dani asked as they sat in the grooming area. 

"Like Davin." He said. 

"Like Gavin?" She smiled at how cute he is. Dani pulled her long brown hair into a messy bun and began to trim and style Hunters hair. "Coming right up." Gavin has mostly short wavy hair. So all Hunter needed was a trim. 

"Mark!" Jess yelled. "Stop." He kept moving around in the dog tub making it impossible for Jess to wash the soap out his hair. "Mark!"

Sebastian came over. 

"Stop!" He yelled. Mark froze. 

Jess was shocked that he helped. 

Jess continued to wash his hair with the hose. 

"Grab me a pair of clean clothes for him?" Jess asked Sebastian. 

"Yeah." This was the first time he's done anything useful. 

Emma carried Joy and Hope over. "Almost done with the boys?" 

"No I still have Matthew and I told Anne she could do her kids next." Jess wrapped Mark in the towel and told him to step out the tub. 

"So how did you find this place?" Anne asked as she rocked her young son Eli. 

"Gavin was looking for dog food. This place was completely empty and had power and water so we stayed." Jess simply said. She thought for a moment. "Can someone check the storage room and clean up after the dogs?" 

"I'll get it." Anne offered. 

"Here." He came back with a set of boys clothes. 

"Get dressed." Jess handed Mark the clothes and moved the privacy shade over. "Matthew your turn." 

~~~

"So how much farther is this place?"

"Not far actually. I thought it would take longer." Gavin admitted. 

"Fuck." David saw the large amount of deadheads coming their way. There was no way they were getting through that group. "Back up." David ordered. Gavin was already doing so. 

"This was a fail." Charlie said. 

"It sucks but we are not risking it." Gavin stated as he drove in reverse. "Hold on." Gavin ordered as he did a quick U-turn. 

"Only thing I can think is we take a few out and drive through?" David asked. 

"Don't want to waste the few bullets we have. We used most of the bullets last night." Gavin admitted. 

The deadheads were charging them from behind. Gavin had to drive out of there fast. 

~~~

"I think we should go back." Johnny said in a rush. 

"Calm down." Ella said. "I want to check for blow up beds. When it gets cold it will help to have the extra blankets and we're less likely to get sick if we're not on the floor." They found them and grabbed a few boxes. Johnny had two in his cart and Ella had three in hers. They rushed to the door and realized there were alot of deadheads coming. 

Ella used the walkie to say. "Sebastian?"

"What?" He answered quicker than ever before.  

"Get to the doors and hurry. We're going to need to get in fast." She explained. 

"Got it."

"Are you ready?" She asked Johnny. 

He is a muscular manly man coming from Texas but he was afraid to die and not see his family again. 

"I'm ready." 

Ella grabbed her gun first, with a silencer, and began to shoot the ones nearest them. 

A few noticed them so they had to run. The deadheads noticed them quicker now. They started to follow them. Growling and grunting as they drug their decaying bodies over. 

They made it to the back of the store and rushed up the ramps with the carts, catching a deadheads arm in the door. 

The two shoved the door harder breaking the arm off. 

"Get the dogs out." Ella ordered Sebastian. "Dont alert anyone." She stated. Sebastian got the five dogs out. "Trash bags." Ella pointed to the bags on the shelve behind the door. 

Johnny handed them to her. She lifted the hand with the bag and tied it quickly. 

"You want to clean or throw this out?" She asked. 

He wasnt sure what she meant by throw it out so he offered to clean. 

Ella rushed to the roof and tossed the hand as far as she could. She took a deep breath on the roof and soon realized the clouds were darker. "It's gonna rain." She said to herself.

She waited a moment and returned downstairs. 

The floor was clean and a trash bag was tied up. She went back to the roof and dropped the off into a dumpster. 

The thunder started first and she rushed back inside. 

"It's gonna pour." She went back in and told everyone. "Look at that head." She was shocked to see Mark basically bald. 

"How bad is it?" Jess asked. 

"Starting to thunder." They knew they could hear it. "The rain just started as I came down."

"Everyone all clean and cut?" Johnny saw his five year old sons wet hair. 

"Just a trim for him." Anne greeted her husband with a kiss. 

"We brought beds!" Ella cheered. 

"How many?" Jess asked as she carried a freshly clean Hope over. 

"5." She pushed the cart to the side. 

"Gonna need a few more but this good for now." Emma stated. 

"I want to get them set up before the others come back, they're gonna be exhausted." Jess asked. 

"Alright." Dean said. "Let's start arranging." They could hear the thunder louder and the rain pouring. 

~~~

Gavin, Charlie and David were stuck driving in the rain. It was so hard to see where they were going. They knew they were close to home but not sure how far. 

"Do you think we should should wait out the storm?" Charlie asked as she held onto the handle on the back of the passenger's seat. 

"No because we don't want a group of deadheads trapping us." They could feel the heavy wind swaying the van slightly. 

"How close are we?" David asked. 

"I cant tell." The rain was pouring down to hard. 

"Pull over Gavin." Charlie semi demanded. 

Gavin did. 

"Keep the wipers going." She stated. 

He tried being able to see where they were. Gavin looked out the door window and didn't see any deadheads. He grabbed his knife and went out. He knew where he was now and had to kill two deadheads as he got back in the van. The rain washed the blood off his hands. 

"Your soaked." Charlie said. 

"We're near a shopping plaza. The pet store is a few blocks up." Gavin couldn't drive far on the roads right now. "let's make a choice, we can get in one of those stores, probably have to fight a group of deadheads while in there or keep driving but I can't see a thing." He told them. 

"I think we should wait in the car." Charlie said. 

"I think the store, we could grab a few things while we're at it." David said. 

Gavin thought. "Let's do the store." They decided to leave the van in the middle of the street. They climbed out of the van and rushed into the department store. It was alot bigger than the one near the pet store. 

David pried the sliding doors open and they rushed inside. "Shhh." Gavin said when he heard the grunts coming. 

Gavin used his knife to kill three deadheads. David killed two and one that nearly pinned Charlie on the ground. Charlie is not good with deadheads. 

They looked around to make sure there weren't any more deadheads. "David and Charlie go left, I'll go straight." Gavin killed a few people he assumed were customers. he saw a shopping cart that had a case of water and cases of soda in it. 

"Gavin!" He heard David shout. 

He pushed the cart over and saw David at the pharmacy. 

"We don't have anyone sick but we might." He said. 

"Grab everything I guess. Encase we get a doctor." Gavin said. They emptied everything from the pharmacy and the over the counter medicines into one cart.

"We have to get bags though to put this stuff in so it's easier to carry back and forth." Gavin explained.

"Got it." Charlie said. 

~~~

The rain was still pouring down hard. 

"You think they're okay?" Jess asked Emma. 

"Yeah. They have to be." She said. 

"What if we stack the hard food bags in front of the glass doors, since we don't use them. Move the shelves so we each have a private space." Johnny offered. 

"That could work." Jess wanted this. It was awkward trying to cuddle with her husband when everyone could see. 

"Let's get the kids in the playroom before we start." Dani said. 

"But we need to take turns watching the kids because we have toddlers and an infant." Anne worried. 

"Don't worry. We will." Johnny smiled at her. 

"So let's get started." Sebastian said out of nowhere. 

"You're gonna help?" Jess asked in shock. 

"Yeah." He agreed. 

"Jess can you take first shift with the kids?" Anne asked because Jess is pregnant, they didn't want her getting overworked. 

"I can move things. Why don't I take the second shift when it's time to move the shelves." That made more sense to her.

"Alright I'll take the kids." Emma volunteered. "Lets go! Every kid in here, let's go!" She called them all. 

Johnny, Anne, Dani, Dean and Sebastian started moving the food, treats, pets clothes and litter off the shelves and stacking in front of the windows and front doors. 

They emptied out the shelves that lined the walls and just took them down. The walls looked so empty. 

"I think we should-" Jess paused unable to breath. 

"Babe?" Sebastian asked. 

"Just-a little over worked." She said in between breaths. 

"Get her some water." Dani said to Johnny and he rushed to the break room to get some. 

"Jessi, whats wrong?" She looked dizzy. Sebastian was truly worried. 

"I just overworked." She assured him. 

"You need to relax." Sebastian helped her stand. 

"Here." Johnny rushed back over and handed her a bottle. 

They walked in the manager's office. Sebastian hasn't been this caring in years. 

"Is Aunt Jessi okay?" Mark asked. 

Sebastian looked at his nephew. "Yeah." He simply said. 

"I'm fine. Go help them." She told Sebastian as she took a drink of water. 

"I'll watch her." Emma said as she bounced Hope on her chest. 

"See she'll watch me." Jess teased. 

"You sure?"

"Yes sir." She smiled and teased. "Go help." 

He kissed her and left. 

"You sure you're okay?" Emma asked. 

"Yeah just really tired." She said. 

Emma looked out the adoption room windows and saw the people working. They were taking several display shelves down. 

Gavin David and Charlie had three carts full of stuff. They actually found several camping cots. They grabbed the six they found. 

They headed back to the front. 

"Rains calming down, think we should go?" Charlie asked. 

"Yeah, I should be able to see now." They quickly pushed the three carts back to the van and loaded it up. Gavin drove off quickly as a group of deadheads gathered behind them. They made it back to the store quickly. They went around back and used a walkie before they got out the van. "Sebastian." Gavin said. 

Jess lit up when she heard his voice. 

"Yeah?" 

"We're at the back but get the carts. We have a lot of stuff." He told him. 

"Comin." He simply stated. 

Gavin got out first and killed two deadheads. One of which he noticed was missing an arm. 

David and Charlie got out next they started loading the stuff they grabbed into the shopping carts Sebastian brought out. They locked the van up and went inside. 

"What the hell?" Gavin asked when he saw all the taking apart shelve pieces and some still together. 

"We made rooms." Sebastian said. "You'll like it."

Gavin walked into the store area and saw everything was different. The back area was blocked off with display shelves with gaps, like a door space. The front was almost completely open. 

"Whose idea was this?" Gavin asked. 

"Mine." Johnny came forward. 

"Good idea." He said with a smile. "We couldn't get guns, but we got beds, food, clothes, medicine, blankets, a few weapons and some things to keep the kids busy." Gavin stated. 

"It's gonna be hard without guns though." Ella said. 

"Yeah I know. But we're not in the best neighborhood so I would assume that at least a few houses around here have guns in them. We can see what we can find until the weather gets worse." Gavin suggested. "I need to get changed." He looked over to where that originally stacked the clothes at. "Where are the clothes?"

"We separated clothes by size. You have clothes in your little cubicle. You and Sebastian are completely different sizes. Johnny is different size but Dean and David are the same so that was hard but almost everyone has the same amount. Us women are all close in size, except for big old pregnant me, so we just kinda divided it up by what we liked." Jess explained. "The shelves came in handy for putting the clothes up. The three boys clothes are in your cube because their balcony is right above you." 

"Got it." He smiled at how well everything was going. He went into his cube and grabbed a fresh pair of clothes and began to change. 

"Let's get the beds set up in every cub, we definitely have enough now." Dani said. 

"Let's put the medicine in the groomers station so no kid can get their hands on it. And keep it locked." Charlie said as she headed to her cube with David. 

"I'll hold onto the key if no one minds." Anne asked. Gavin knew she use to be a nurse. 

No one objected. 

"Did the kids eat lunch?" Gavin asked when he came out of his cube. 

"Yes, everyone did." Sebastian said. Gavin was shocked to see him holding Hope. 

"Where's my brother and who are you?" Gavin chuckled. 

"I'm here." He said simply. As if assuring Gavin that the brother he once knew was here. 

"Good." He put reached out to take Hope. 

"No. I'm keeping her." Sebastian joked as the girl giggled in his arms.

Gavin hoped this was the start to something good.

His family deserved it.  

 


	3. Is He Alive

A few days went by and they gathered random things from houses. Only four houses out of ten blocks of houses had guns and a few extra rounds. They decided to explore a few more since the weather wasn't to bad. It was cold but not extremely yet. 

They searched as many houses they could get to. The last house, they found something completely unexpected. Gavin kicked in a door only to be greeted by a gun to the face. 

"We thought this place was empty." Gavin said as he put his hand up. 

"You just broke in the fucking door." The older man holding the gun yelled. 

"Papap!" They all heard a little girl cry. 

Gavin instantly dropped his weapon, he believes a child shouldn't see this violence. The noticed that. He lowered his gun. 

She ran down the stairs and right to the older man. A seemingly teenage boy ran after her. He lifted her up. "You broke our door." 

The teenage boy grab the little girl. "Go to daddy." The man said. 

"Now we have to find somewhere else! You know how dangerous that is!" The teen now holding the little girl yelled. He has long hair, wearing a patch on his left eye that seems to just stay on his face. 

"We didn't know there were people here." Ella defended. 

"That doesnt give you the right to break into this home." Another man yelled. 

"It kinda does." Ella said. "The world is done. No one in any of the houses we've checked. We have the right to assume that no one would be in this one." Ella was mad for no reason. 

"This house! You broke the door in. We're not safe anymore!" The older man yelled. 

"You were never safe." Gavin stated. "The dead have risen. Walking around and eating peoples flesh like we're hamburgers. We're fighting to survive. So are you. So I'm not mad that your pointing a gun in my face. I would do the same if the roles were reversed. I will gladly help you fix your door or tell you what house is safer." Gavin offered. 

"What about?" Ella asked and he knew what she meant.

"What?" A women with short dyed red hair asked. 

"We have a place we've been staying. It's been very safe. Kids of our own. We have been living there for nearly 5 months." Gavin said. 

"Myself and my family three months. And a few new friends maybe a week." Ella stated. 

"I'll talk to my family." The man said. His house hasn't been very safe. The front window was busted in and boarded up twice. They huddled up and kept an eye on Gavin the whole time. 

"How many people have you lost?" The man asked. 

"Since this started or in our camp?" gavin asked. 

"In your camp." 

"Zero." He said.

"Lets do it." A young girl who reminded him of Jess said. "We're not safe here. We've lost to many already." She stated.

"I'm Ace. My sons, Daniel, Jameson, Johnny and Jim." He older man said. 

"This is my girlfriend Liz." Daniel said. HE gestured to the redhead. 

"This is my daughter Bailey." Jameson, the long hair teenage boy, said as he held his daughter. She looked 4 years old. 

"And this is my girlfriend Liv." Johnny said. Liv pulled her hair tightly curled hair into a bun. She reminded him of Jess. 

"I'm Gavin, thats Ella, Johnny and David." Gavin said. 

"Do you have anything to gather?" Ella asked. "Food, clothes, water, guns, blankets, cots, camping supplies, anything that might be useful. Grab it, Pack it and get it ready." 

"Do you have a working car?" Gavin asked.

"Yeah, small van but we can all squeeze." Ace said. 

"Shh." Gavin said as he heard the grunts from outside. 

Gavin went to the door armed and ready with his knife. He stabbed one in the head that hit the door and one more that was right behind him. 

"We need to go now." He whispered as a deadhead grabbed him from behind. Gavin was fighting him off when Ace shot the deadhead. "Thank you but careful with the noise." 

"Lets go." Ella ordered. 

Gavin made sure they could all get into the van. With the supplies they had they couldn't. They split up. Some going with Gavin. Some going with David and Some in Ace's minivan. They split the supplies between them. 

"A Pet store?" Ace grunted sarcastically.

"Yes, a pet store. It works." Gavin went around back where they had there parked cars.

Gavin didnt have a walkie talkie with him. He banged on the door. "Open up." He looked back at the people still in the cars. "Get out. Get the bags."

Gavin demanded. 

Sebastian opened up. "Come on man. Just like when we were kids, you bring home every stray you find." He was serious in a joking way as he let them in. 

"Shut up." Gavin said and let everyone in first. 

Sebastian has a look on his face. 

"Whats wrong?" Gavin asked as they locked the back door. 

"The heat barely works." 

"Shit." Gavin didnt know what else to say. "Lets just get everyone in and set up."

"Alright, we have more people. We need to set up more rooms." Ella said. "So we have a semi hard day ahead but after we can eat and relax." Ella instructed.

"Lets get moving so we can eat." Ace said with a sigh of relief.  

They set up one large cube for most of Ace's sons, except his oldest and Jameson. Ace had his own as well. So in total they made Four new ones. 

They wanted to keep the middle of the floor open so they had to take down the last display case they had. And move the Ferrets cage to the wall. They set the dining table closer to the walls as well. They had the cubes set up just as Anne and Dani finished cooking diner. 

They had the break room table and a dining table lined up. With chairs the store had and chairs they had grabbed from department stores. They managed to fit everyone at the table. Ella and Emma started to serve the food. 

As everyone enjoyed their meals Gavin had to say. "We have rules here. Do your part. Don't steal from us. We divide everything equally so there is no need. And don't put your hands on people. You can yell, scream, get into the biggest vocal fight you want but don't put your hands on anyone. Because you will not be able to stay here anymore." Gavin needed the new people to know. "Oh and lastly, dont hurt my animals or I'll kill you." And he was dead serious. 

"Uncle Gavin?" Mark asked. 

"Yes Mark?" 

"Shhhh, your killing our buzz." He smiled and everyone busted out in laughter at what this 6 year old just said. 

The night was pretty easy. They enjoyed their meals and  laughed. They talked about the past and things that didnt seem important but were good distractions. 

At first they didnt realize how cold it was. But when they settled, they could feel it. 

Gavin had wrote down every adults name under the list of the ones he already had. 

They have a calendar that hasn't expired yet so they put people's names on the days they would be on watch. They had to update it now with new people. 

"We're redoing the watch schedule. You stay up all night on watch. If you have kids we dont keep both parents awake at once but if your a single parent then you need to find someone to keep an eye on your kids or multitask." Gavin stated. 

"The calendar will be up in a few minutes. New people will be on watch tonight." Ella stated.  "We have enough people now, we can each do one day." Ella said.  The two discussed who they were putting on which days. Who to group together.

"Liz will be great with Charlie." Gavin said. "They have the same quirky personality. Might drive David crazy though." He thought.

"New Schedule!" Ella yelled. "Today is Friday so It's Gavin, Ace and Jack. Check the calendar for your days." Ella hung it in front of the groomers station. "I'm going to sleep." She walked to her cube where her sister and Joy, who she considers her niece, were already getting ready for bed. 

"So what do we do?" Jack asked. 

"Check the windows, check the roof, keep things quiet." Gavin said so simply. 

"Can I carry a gun?" Jack got excited. 

"No." Everyone in his group said. 

"You'll get a knife." He said. "Firearms stay in the break room lockers." he looked towards Ace still carrying his gun. 

"Give it." Jameson said as she saw him about to fuss, he doesn't like guns. 

He handed it over. Gavin took it to the break room. 

Most people had turned in for the night. All lights were off except for the groomer station. The makeshift curtains were closed to each cube except the people who hadn't gone in yet. 

"Let me show you the roof." Gavin said.

He took Jack and Ace to the storage room. The pull down stairs were already down and they opened the hatch to the roof. They went up. It was so cold now. The wind was so strong. "We walk the store roof and the the adjoining ones to make sure there's no build of deadheads." He spoke. "We dont stay up here long because if you dont stay quiet it attracts more deadheads." 

"We just call them zombies." Ace said so casually. 

"I tried." Gavin said. "It just sounded like we were talking about a movie not real life." Gavin said. 

They understood. It didnt sound real. None of this did. 

They went back downstairs and relaxed for a while. Gavin went to check on his boys. He looked up the balcony. The twins were asleep. Hunter was still awake. "You okay?" He asked. 

"I'm not tired." The boy said. 

"Come down?" He asked. 

He nodded. 

Gavin turned and saw Jessica heading to the bathroom. 

Gavin helped Hunter down and closed the gates. Hunter sat on the floor playing with a large bag of building blocks they had. 

"So is this all we do?" Jack asked. "Stay up in the dark?"

"Yeah, check the windows, doors and that's it." Gavin said simply. Gavin reached into his pocket and tossed Ace a pack of cards. "Keep busy play some cards." 

Jessica came out of the bathroom. "Hunters awake?" She asked.

"Yeah why?" He asked.

"He hasnt been sleeping." She said in worry.

"I don't think he like sleeping without an adult. His parents lived in a small apartment so most nights he slept in his parents bed. I dont think he wants to sleep without them." Gavin said as they looked at Hunter fighting his sleepy eyes. 

"I'll take him with me tonight and he can sleep us." 

"Can you handle it? You have Hope and your husband." He joked. 

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She smiled and went over and lifted Hunter. She walked back to her cube. "Besides Hope sleeps in a crib now." She said. He moved the curtain so she could go in. She turned and he saw Hunter was already asleep. 

"Gavin." Ace called over. They left a small area open so they could peek out the window. "It's snowing." She moved and showed him. 

Gavin was worried. "Lets hope it doesnt land." 

~~~

The next morning came and there was no snow on the ground but there was a large group of deadheads surrounding them. They weren't focused on the store it just seemed like they were looking for heat or food. But it was still a bigger group then they had faced. 

They couldn't really do anything about it except keep the kids and dogs quiet. The dogs typically didn't bark but if they did you could easily quiet them with a treat or non squeak toy. 

They babies were harder to keep quiet. Hope was getting louder as she began to learn to say sounds and small words. Joy would scream and cry if Emma wasn't there holding her. 

As the days went by the snow came quickly and heavily. The amount of deadheads grew bigger. 

They must have somehow sensed the heat from the store because they were completely surrounded. Or the noise drew them in. They weren't sure. But it was getting overwhelming. 

They knew from the calendar that it was December but they knew that calendar would be over soon so Ella drew up a new one on scraps of paper they had. She remembered the song. "30 days in September, April, June and November, All the rest have 31, And February’s great with 28, And Leap Year’s February’s fine with 29." She didnt know when leap year was, so she didnt worry about it. 

~~~

It's been 2 more weeks. 

Gavin checked in on Jessica. She could barely get out of bed now. The pregnancy was getting very hard. 

"How are you doing?" Gavin asked in a hushed tone. 

Jessica took a deep breath. "Horrible." 

"Sebastian helping?" 

"Hovering. Getting me some water now." She smiled. "How's the kids?"

"Scared." He admitted. "The young ones don't understand why they have to be quiet. The older ones, they know why and it's terrifying." 

"Any ideas about how to lower the amount?" Jess asked. 

"A few." Sebastian pushed past his brother and handed Jessica the water. 

"No war talk." Sebastian said, trying to protect his wife. 

"Yes sir." Jessica teased. 

Gavin left and headed over to Johnny and Ace talking, they were in the manager's office. It was the only light they left on because there were no windows.

"We use the last of our bullets and clear it out." 

"The sound would draw more." Johnny protested. "And we dont have nearly enough." 

Gavin listened to the men bicker back and forth and finally realized. "We still have the two cars." 

"What?" They both said. 

"Before either of you got here we grabbed a bunch of toy cars to distract deadheads and draw them away. We still have two." He remember as he went into the small room behind the manager's office. 

"How are we going to get it out there though?" Johnny asked. 

"Clear out the back. There's less there. We don't really have to clear it out just kill a few blocking the door. Drive the car down the ramp and around the store. Turn the sirens on and ship it off far." Gavin said. 

"Let's do it." Ace stated. "Should we move everyone into the adoption room? Those doors are hard to push. And maybe the bathrooms too because there won't be enough room. God forbid a few get past us." Ace asked. 

"Groomer station. Just cover the front windows. But keep a few armed people inside the doors so they can take care of them encase we get over run." Gavin said. 

"Got it." Johnny stated. 

"Everyone." Gavin called. "Get inside the adoption room and stay there. Its going to be a tight squeeze but we don't want to take the risk of a deadhead getting past us and someone getting hurt. We need people on the roof, in the storage room and standing guard inside the rooms." 

They started sorting people quickly. They tried to squeeze all kids inside the manager's office. The deadheads would have to get through so many people just to get to them, it seemed the safest route. But they did put the dogs in the bathrooms and locked the doors.

Sebastian, Dean and David stood armed with handmade spears (a broom or mop stick with knifes duct taped to the ends) and a bat with nails hammered through it. 

Jack, Ace and Charlie went on the roof. Charlie was a pro with the bow and arrow they had. She practiced in the store. Jack was going to use the remote to control the car and sirens around the store and off to a distance. And Ace was going to use the riffle to get the deadheads away from the back door. 

Johnny, Ella and Gavin went to the storage room. Gavin had a machete. He didn't mind an up close battle with these things. He wasn't afraid of them. 

Johnny was in charge of shooting anything that got to close. Same as Ella but she had to put the car down and holler when it was time. 

They had to open the door as soon as they heard four riffle shots go off. 

One. 

Two. 

Three. 

Four. 

Gavin unlocked the door and cautiously pulled it open. He had to fend off two of them while still partially behind the door. He stabbed them both in the head. 

Johnny was shooting them as Ella put the car on the ground and hollered. "Go!" They heard the car sirens go off and start to roam.

But they couldn't keep them off fast enough. A group of deadheads pushed into the door crushing Gavin behind it. He bashed his head on the wall and the door winded him. He wasn't sure what was happening but he couldn't get out from behind the door. There were still deadheads pushing against it. He heard a few gunshots and screaming but he couldn't get out to help. Finally the deadheads had passed and Gavin slammed the door, locking it. The sound of the heavy door caught the attention of some of the deadheads. He was so dizzy and wasn't sure if there were twenty of them or forty coming at him. Everything was spinning and he knew he was going to die as the they began to corner him. He was able to use his machete to kill four before falling. He could feel warm liquid dripping down his back. Was he bit already and didnt know it? Then he heard someone holler. "Look at me!" He passed out after that. 

In the store Ella and Johnny were trying to fight them but they didnt have nearly enough bullets. 

Ella tried to grab the knife off her belt but was grabbed by a deadhead and bit on the shoulder, another on the head and other on her arm. Emma saw her sister go down and wanted to scream but she didnt want the deadheads coming towards the kids. She just cried into a blanket.

Sebastian didnt see his brother. "Watch my wife and lock these doors." Sebastian ordered as he grabbed his spear and left the adoption center. Dean and David followed behind when they saw Johnny needed help. 

They looked over and the groomers stations door were wide open. Luckily they choose not to use that room. 

They continued to take out the deadheads as best they could. They saw a trail of bodies to the bathroom. The woman's door was wide open. 

Fluffy and Curly were locked in there but not anymore. They weren't alive anymore. Dean killed the three deadheads that were eating the dogs. 

He went back out and continued kill the deadheads that seem to be never ending. 

"Clear!" Charlie hollered down from the roof. She and Jack came down from roof only to see all the dead bodies. 

"I don't have a weapon." Jack said. 

"Let's get in the break room." Charlie said. She was nervous with close up fights. They opened the door and saw Gavin unconscious on the floor.

"Gavin." Charlie rushed over. She saw the blood and checked his head. "It's not a bit, just looks like he got hit really hard." 

"Is he alive?" Jack asked. 

"Yeah, hes just not waking up." Charlie said. "Stay in here, watch him." She routed through the lockers and grabbed a spear they made. "Lock this door and if anything manages to break in use this." She handed it to him 

Charlie left with her bow and arrow she had ten arrows left and her knife on her belt. She was nervous but pushed the doors open that led to the store and saw the bodies. 

She didnt see any living deadheads though. 

"What happened?" She asked. 

"We got overwhelmed at the back." Ace said. She looked over and saw Emma holding her dead sisters head in her hands. 

"Gavins in the break room, bleeding really bad." Charlie said. 

"I put him there." Ace said, still crying over his kids. 

"Hes not waking up though."

Anne came out of the adoption room. "Jessica's water just broke." 

"Gavins unconscious and bleeding in the break room." She told her. 


	4. Just Have To Drive

"Alright, I need this place clean and cleared up." Anne was taking charge. "Take the dead and throw them out or off the roof. I don't care. Put our people, person, and pets in the van, after making sure their dead. We'll bury them in that park a few blocks away." She stated. "Sebastian, go to your wife, keep her calm until I come back. Everybody else get rid of the bodies and clean up the blood now. Charlie, take me to Gavin." They rushed to Gavin, while everyone followed her orders.

She checked him out.

"Well he's not dead." She said.

"Jack go get me the smelly salts, gauze pads and wraps, and the alcohol in the groomer station. But warning it is not a good sight. And hurry." Jack rushed out. "Charlie, when I go to help Jessica I'm going to need a lot of space so either get her in her cube or the kids out of that office. But don't let them see what's out there and send back two strong people." She instructed.

Charlie rushed off and Anne kept trying to wake up Gavin.

"Oh fuck." Jack saw the bodies everywhere. The infected had eaten the ferrets too. It was heartbreaking. He rushed over to Liz, who was moving the bodies to the storage room.

"Just dont look." She told him. Jack is sensitive, nothing like his father. Liz is bad ass and bossy.

"I have to, I have to get things for Anne." She kissed him before he rushed to the groomers station. The bodys were thankfully covered so he didn't see them. He went in, grabbed what he needed and rushed back to Anne.

Charlie went in the adoption room. "Sebastian, Anne wants Jessica separate. So either she goes into a cube or get the kids into cubes.

"I'll go, just incase. Dani and Liv stay with the kids." Jessica volunteered. "I just dont want to see whats out there." She told Sebastian.

"Okay." He said. He took his hoodie off and put it on her. "Keep the hood on and only look at the floor." He stated. "Lock the door behind us."

Dani nodded.

They left and Sebastian tried his hardest to hide the scene from his wife. He got her in the cube and closed the curtains.

"I need two strong people to help Anne." Charlie said to the few people moving bodies.

Daniel and Johnny went with her.

"Gavin, hey, can you hear me." Her voice echoed in his ears.

He grunted.

"Daniel and Johnny, take him back to his cube. Lay him down and Charlie stay with him. Try to keep him awake and let me know if anything changes." She stated. "Jack, I need clean towels, a bowl of warm water, scissors, a lighter, gloves, fresh clean baby blankets, oh and that birthing bag we found in the midwife's house it's in my cube it's blue." She instructed. "Meet me in Jessica's cube."

Anne took a deep breath. She knew today would be even harder for her now.

"Any contractions?"

"Ten minutes apart." Sebastian stated.

"Well we have time. If I'm not in here, call me back when there 3 minutes apart." She stated. "I have to check on Gavin."

"How is he?" Sebastian asked.

"Barely conscious, with a cut on the back of his head." She said. "I'll let you know when I'm done." She left the cube and made sure to close the curtain. "Anybody else injured?"

"No." Everyone seemed to say.

They kept moving all the bodies. They moved the bodies of the dead and just put them outside across the street.

The people they knew though, Ella and the petes They put in her van and drove it to the park a few blocks away. Two dug holes while two stood watch. Back and forth until the bodies were buried. It was dark before they returned home.

"How's everything?" David asked when he got back inside.

"Jessica had a girl." Charlie said. "Out there?"

"Ground was froze we had to start a fire and try and light the ground up. Hard as fuck." David answered.

"Hows Gavin?"  Johnny asked.

"In and out. More good then bad though." Charlie said as she collected weapons.

They walked in slowly and quietly.

It was dark, except for a few fish tanks.

"Dinner is done. It's in the microwave. It's just Mac and Cheese, kind of." Powdered cheese, noodles and water.

"Thanks."

Dean knocked on Jessica's cube. "I heard you had a girl."

She smiled. "Sabrina." She smiled.

"She's beautiful." He smiled. "I'll leave, let those kids sleep." He saw Hunter crawled at her side and Hope in her crib.

"Hey, can you check on Gavin for me?" She asked before he left.

"Sure but where's Sebastian?"

"With Gavin, but he hasn't come back yet. Let him spend time with his brother." She knew he needed to. "Besides the kids were quiet."

"Got it."

He walked 20 steps to Gavins cube and saw Sebastian talking to him. Gavin was awake. "Hows he doing?"

"I'm good. Everyone else?" He slurred.

"Bad but settled." He was honest.

"Jessica wanted to know how you were doing."

"Hows she doing? Hows the baby?" Gavin slurred. His words muffled but they knew what he meant.

"Shes beautiful and seemingly healthy." Dean reported.

"Hows my kids?" He asked.

"The twins are sleeping. Hope and Hunter are with Jessi sleeping." Sebastian told him.

"I'll let Jessica know." Dean left.

~~~

The night was hard for the adults.

No one really got any sleep. Gavin wasnt allowed to sleep. Jessica was up all night with the new baby. Sebastian was up helping, everyone.

Morning rose and more snow had fallen. They realized something though. Deadheads didnt come over towards the back where the stack of bodies were.

Maybe the smell hid the building.

Within a week they decided to use the rest of the arrows and rifle shots to kill the ones in front and drop bodies like a barrier.

They did this close up though. They went outside. In the snow. Arranged the bodies. Killed more and made sure it formed a flat wall of bodies. Charlie recovered all of her bows though. So she was happy.

They went back in and checked on everyone.

~~~

They ate dinner that night.

“I don't think we should stay here.” Ace said. 

“We can't do anything right now.” Johnny said. “It’s winter, we’ve kids.” 

“Yeah i know. I have a granddaughter but this building is attracting to many of them. Soon we're gonna be surrounded, trapped and starving to death.” Ace said. 

“You don't think I think about that every day.” Gavin butted in. “There's 5 tiny human beings depending on me.“Not to mention everyone else i brought here.”

“I’m just saying we need to make a plan.” Ace stated. 

“I gotta agree.” David said as he came over. “We can't get trapped here.”

“Yeah but how do we avoid it?” Dani came over with a few other. 

“I don't know, we just have to figure something out.” Ace said. 

"I can't deal with this right now.” His head was killing him. “I'll check the roof. Someone clean up after the dogs please." Gavin said as he put a heavy coat on.

He went up the stairs and was hit by a burning smell. "What the fuck!" He yelled when he saw the buildings joining the pet store were set on fire. The 7- eleven down the block. It seemed to have just started. But he noticed houses all down the block were set on fire as well. Random ones it seemed. 

He rushed down.

"No time to think. Theres a fucking fire!"

"What?" People screamed.

"The 7 eleven was set on fire. The whole building is going up."

"Theres only two building separating us." Jessica worried.

"I know. We need to get out before it spreads." Gavin said.

They knew it would be torture out there but they couldn't stay with the fire spreading.

"Who could have have done that?" Liv asked. 

"I have no idea." Dani said. 

~~~

They ate dinner that night.

"I'll check the roof. Someone clean up after the dogs please." Gavin said as he put a heavy coat on.

He went up the stairs and was hit by a burning smell. "What the fuck!" He yelled when he saw the buildings joining the pet store were set on fire. The 7- eleven down the block. It seemed to have just started.

He rushed down.

"Theres a fucking fire!"

"What?" People screamed.

"The 7 eleven was set on fire. The whole building is going up."

"Theres only two building separating us." Jessica worried.

"I know. We need to get out before it spreads." Gavin said.

They knew it would be torture out there but they couldn't stay with the fire spreading.

"Emily did this. I know it." Jess exclaimed.

"Fucking should have killed them." Johnny yelled.

"We're not killers." Anne smacked her husband behind the head.

"Quickly; Sebastian, Ace, Dean, David, Emma pack our bags. Just the important stuff. Try to squeeze it in as much as you can in as few bags as possible. Jessica, Dani, Anne get the kids dressed in the warmest clothes possible. Jack, Johnny: the younger one, Liz and Liv and  get the food and water. Charlie, Johnny: the older one, help me with the weapons." They've never moved so fast in their lives.

"Packed." Sebastian said.

"Put all supplies in the blue truck we got a few weeks back. Get all camping supplies you can grab too and blankets. Get the dogs in cages and put them in the van Including dog food bags, as many as you can grab. But make sure at least two people stay outside with the vehicles." Gavin stated.

"Kids are ready." Jessica said.

"I'm gonna check the roof." Charlie went upstairs after they finished packing the weapons. "We need to hurry!" She screamed. "Two buildings lit. One left before we're hit."

"Squeeze all the kids in the Military truck." There were military trucks, jeeps and Humvee's all over but they grabbed the biggest one and siphoned the gas from all the rest.

Gavin had the weapons packed into four different bags. They divided the knives, spears, they only had 1 gun with bullets, two bats with nails, crowbars and Charlies crossbow. Each car would get a bag.

"Everyone ready?" Gavin asked.

"Kids are in the truck. Most people are two. Jack and Liv are driving the minivan. Fully packed with dogs, supplies and dog food." Charlie stated. "Myself and David are driving the blue truck, fully loaded no room for anything else." She spoke as they grabbed the last of the bags. "Your brother and mostly everyone else are in the military truck." They started handing out weapon bags out. They saw the blaze getting close to the cars. "Dean is in the minivan with all camping supplies."

"I'll drive the trucks lets go." He climbed in and saw charlie do the same.

The kids were screaming and crying it was so scary. Jessica was terrified. She had a 4 day old baby girl, in the snow. She had Hope and Hunter and her nephews.

"Hows she doing?" Anne asked Jessica.

"I dont know what I'm doing." Jessica said in tears. The baby was crying so loud.

"Do you mind?" Anne put her hands out. Jess handed her Sabrina. She was in a winter baby sleeper and wrapped in a thick swaddle blanket. Anne rocked her a certain way. On her chest with a gentle back rub.

She calmed and went to sleep.

"Different babies like to be rocked different ways. Noah wouldn't stop crying unless I was in the rocking chair. Eli liked to be nuzzled in my chest.

Gavin heard David on the walkie. "Where we going?"

Gavin had to admit. "I dont know, just stay close." He stated.

They just had to drive.

  
  
  



	5. Chapter 5: Motel:First Night

"Gavin we need to stop somewhere." Jessica told him weakly. It's been hours since they started driving. They weren't anywhere near Philadelphia anymore. 

"What?" He asked. 

"I need to feed Sabrina again. And a lot of kids have to go potty." She saw Mark and Matthew figdetting. 

"Alright." He grabbed the walkie. They weren’t near anything. He saw a gas station up ahead. "We're pulling over at the gas station." He said. 

"Got it." Dean replied. 

They made it to the gas station. They all pulled over. 

"Check everything for gas for the cars. Stretch your legs, go to the bathroom. But watch yourselves and the kids." Gavin stated. "Let the dogs out too." He said. 

Dean quickly killed three deadheads that came out of the trees with his knife.

"I'll take the kids to the bathroom." Dani said. Anne, Emma and Liv were going too.

"Thank you." Jessica said. Dani lifted Hope up. She needed a diaper change.

"You okay?" Sebastian asked his wife as she began to nurse their daughter.  

"I'm so cold." She admitted. "Those kids are terrified and sitting on the floor in this truck is hard." She was so scared. "Sabrina is cold and I don't know what to do."  

"I'm gonna talk to Gavin. I'll be right back." He told her as he draped a blanket around her shoulders. 

Sebastian went to his brother. "I think we should move the kids to the cars, they have heat and if we squeeze in some adults they can watch them." 

"I was thinking that myself but we would need to move a lot around." Gavin said. 

"Start moving the stuff in the minivan to the truck. Hurry. And the same with the van." The man quickly moved things as the women used the bathrooms and raided the convenience store for goodies.

"Got a shotgun with a box of shells." Charlie came out of the convenience store. "It was behind the register." She handed it to David. "So what's going on here?" She asked. 

"You and David in the Minivan with Jessica..."

"Gavin!" They heard Jessica shout. 

They knew it was coming from behind the convenience store. 

They rushed to her and asked. 

"Yeah. Look." They saw the ford transit from the size it looked to be an 18 seater. Gavin use to drive them when he was a troop leader when Mark and Matthew were in boy scouts. But it had deadheads inside. They could see from the windows. Not a lot. Maybe 6 inside. "We could use that. Ditch the minivan." 

"What do you think?" Sebastian asked his brother. 

"Kids in a car. I'm not taking any risk with them." He said. 

"Got it." Johnny went back to get the kids inside. 

The adults stood ready. Gavin slid the side door open and the deadheads started to come out. Johnny got one with a spear. Then David got one. Gavin. Sebastian. Charlie got one with an arrow. And lastly Ace got one with a machete. 

"Disinfect the inside before anyone goes in. Check the gas and for keys." 

They found the keys on the floors. They used disinfecting wipes and spray to cleans the seats. After siphoning gas from all cars nearby and emptying the pumps they had a few full canisters and all their cars loaded. 

"Alright, new plan. And get in as I speak please." Gavin put most people in the 18 seater with his brother driving. 

Gavin drove the blue truck all storage inside. 

Dean drove the minivan with his wife and daughter. Emma and Joy were in the back.

Ace drove the military truck with storage and the dogs. They were all in the front out of the cages so they could feel the heat. 

"Gavin do you know where we're going?" Sebastian asked on the walkie. 

"No." He admitted. 

"I'm hungry." Hunter cried. 

"Alright buddy, I'll get you a snack." Jessica said. She grabbed a bag they grabbed from the convenience store and started handing out snacks. 

"I see a driveway coming up, maybe it's an empty house." Gavin said over the walkie. "I'll pull in first just to see." Gavin said he drove ahead and saw the large driveway. It wasn't a house. It was a motel. One floor, seemingly ten rooms and an office. 

Gavin flashed his lights to draw people or deadheads out. Nothing came. He used the walkie to say. "It's a motel." He noticed maybe two deadheads coming his way. "I see two." He stated. 

"You think its safe?" Jameson asked. 

"Not sure. I see four cars, might be dead inside the rooms." He stated. 

"Wait for us." Dean said. 

Gavin only saw the two. He was watching to make sure nothing else came by. But two more did. He saw one room looked like the curtain fluttered open a bit. "I think someones inside." He said as Dean pulled up beside him. 

"Flash the lights again." They both flashed their headlights. 

Only the four deadheads came out. 

"I got them." Charlie said over the walkie. She climbed out of the Ford Transit and climbed on the roof. She used her bow and arrow to kill the four. "I love this thing!" She was so excited. She could kill deadheads and not have to be close to them. 

Gavin got out. 

"Is someone in there?" He asked. "We're not looking to hurt you we just need somewhere to stay." He said. When no one responded he assumed it was just a dead person inside. 

"Manager's office first." Gavin said. "Don't want to break any of the doors."

Gavin and Dean went inside while David and Charlie stood watch. 

"Rooms 4 and 12 and 15 are missing so those probably have dead inside." 

"There going to come over here." A woman hiding in the room whispered to another women. "I don't know what to do." She whispered back as she looked at her infant and toddler sleeping. 

"Stay in here." The red headed women stated. 

She stood up and took her all her nerve. She opened her door. "Who are you people?" She asked. 

Gavin rushed out the manager's office. 

"Where just people. Looking for some place safe." Gavin said when they heard crying. The red headed women assumed it was her friends kids. Gavin assumed it was one of his. The women realized it was one of his. 

"You have kids?" She asked. 

"Yeah." Gavin said over the crying. 

The blonde women came out. "How many?" She asked. 

"A lot." Gavin said. 

"Fine." It's not like they could protest anyway. They didn't have any weapons. 

"What rooms are you your peoples?" Gavin asked. 

"4." She said. "The rest are empty. Except 12 and 15 they has zombies inside." The blonde said. "I'm Bridget, by the way." 

"Jade." The red head stated. 

"Gavin." 

"Dean."

"David." 

"Charlie."

"And there are alot more in those cars." Gavin said. "Wheres 12 and 15?" He only saw 10 rooms.

"In the back." She stated. 

"Well come in but this place doesn't have electricity. We have water but it's not hot water." Bridget told him. "Get in quick. Those things seem to  come out quicker at night." Not really you just couldn't see them coming. 

"Got it." He said. 

"There's candles in each room though." 

"Thank you." Gavin stated. "Lets go, lets get everyone inside." Gavin instructed. 

Emma took Joy and their bags inside room number 1. They made sure to label everyone's bags. She also had a diaper bag and a folded up pack and play. 

"You think its safe?" Jameson asked. 

"Not sure. I see four cars, might be dead inside the rooms." He stated. 

"Wait for us." Dean said. 

Gavin only saw the two. He was watching to make sure nothing else came by. But two more did. He saw one room looked like the curtain fluttered open a bit. "I think someones inside." He said as Dean pulled up beside him. 

"Flash the lights again." They both flashed their headlights. 

Only the four deadheads came out. 

"I got them." Charlie said over the walkie. She climbed out of the Ford Transit and climbed on the roof. She used her bow and arrow to kill the four. "I love this thing!" She was so excited. She could kill deadheads and not have to be close to them. 

Gavin got out. 

"Is someone in there?" He asked. "We're not looking to hurt you we just need somewhere to stay." He said. When no one responded he assumed it was just a dead person inside. 

"Manager's office first." Gavin said. "Don't want to break any of the doors."

Gavin and Dean went inside while David and Charlie stood watch. 

"Rooms 4 and 12 and 15 are missing so those probably have dead inside." 

"There going to come over here." A woman hiding in the room whispered to another women. "I don't know what to do." She whispered back as she looked at her infant and toddler sleeping. 

"Stay in here." The red headed women stated. 

She stood up and took her all her nerve. She opened her door. "Who are you people?" She asked. 

Gavin rushed out the manager's office. 

"Where just people. Looking for some place safe." Gavin said when they heard crying. The red headed women assumed it was her friends kids. Gavin assumed it was one of his. The women realized it was one of his. 

"You have kids?" She asked. 

"Yeah." Gavin said over the crying. 

The blonde women came out. "How many?" She asked. 

"A lot." Gavin said. 

"Fine." It's not like they could protest anyway. They didn't have any weapons. 

"What rooms are you your peoples?" Gavin asked. 

"4." She said. "The rest are empty. Except 12 and 15 they has zombies inside." The blonde said. "I'm Bridget, by the way." 

"Jade." The red head stated. 

"Gavin." 

"Dean."

"David." 

"Charlie."

"And there are alot more in those cars." Gavin said. "Wheres 12 and 15?" He only saw 10 rooms.

"In the back." She stated. 

"Well come in but this place doesn't have electricity. We have water but it's not hot water." Bridget told him. "Get in quick. Those things seem to  come out quicker at night." Not really you just couldn't see them coming. 

"Got it." He said. 

"There's candles in each room though." 

"Thank you." Gavin stated. "Lets go, lets get everyone inside." Gavin instructed. 

Emma took Joy and their bags inside room number 1. They made sure to label everyone's bags. She also had a diaper bag and a folded up pack and play. 

Jessica, Sebastian and Sabrina had room 2. Jessica had a baby nest instead of a pack and play. 

Gavin, Hunter, Hope, Mark and Matthew had room 3. They took their bags inside and Gavin setup Hopes pack and play. After changing her diaper he put her inside and she fell asleep. Gavin had his dogs Stella and Prince in there as well. 

Bridget, Jade and Bridgets kids, Sky and Cole, had room 4 and whatever they had. 

David and Charlie had room 5. 

Dean, Dani and Mya had room 6. 

Johnny, Anne, Noah and Eli in room 7 with their dog Pongo. He is an older dog, all he really does is sleep. 

Daniel, Jack and Liz had room 7. 

Ace, Jameson, Johnny (Who they call Walker now. His nickname and last name), Jim, Bailey and Liv had room 8. Ace wanted his under age kids and granddaughter in the same room. 

Gavin didn’t sleep the first night. 

He, Johnny and David stayed up watching for infected and watching the supplies in the trucks. 

It was cold and snowing. They were grateful to be in actual rooms. Gavin checked on the kids every half hour or so. He still had a working watch. Mark, Matthew and Hunter huddled warm in the blankets on one bed. Gavin had Hope wrapped in warm clothes and blankets in the crib but he was so nervous about her being warm. He took her out and went inside Jessicas room. They were awake with the baby. 

"I'll take her." Jessica said as she put Sabrina in the baby nest next to Sebastian. He handed her over and they cuddled in with the kids in the middle. 

Gavin left. 

"Anything?" He asked. 

"David used Charlies bow and killed two but used 5 arrows." Johnny teased his brother for being a bad shot. 

"Screw you." David chuckled. 

"It's fucking cold." Johnny swore as he breathed into his hands. 

"Morning 'ill come soon and we can sort shit out and go inside." David grunted. 

"What about those girls?"

"What about them? They're scared and probably don't have weapons. I saw kids on the bed when the blonde, Bridget, opened the door. You could see it, they were scared. If they dont help us out. We dont help them. Same as before." Gavin stated. "Fuck its cold!" 

~~~

~~~

Morning came, not quick enough though, and they pulled out the breakfast food they had. 

They set up some trash can fires. 

They took the tables out of the rooms and lined them up with chairs. 

Anne and Dani started to cook, kind of. They mixed bottles of water with powdered eggs or poured dry cereal in a bowls. 

Jessica mixed a formula bottle for Hope. Sabrina was breastfeed a few moments earlier. 

Gavin knocked polity on room fours door. 

"Yes?" Bridget asked. 

"We're havin breakfast." Gavin stated. "Your welcome to join but come quick dont want to miss it." He said with a chuckle. 

"Thank you." She quietly said. 

She looked out the window and saw them lining up chairs and tables. 

"You want to go out?" She asked Jade.

"You think its a good idea?" 

"They seem to have alot of food and we're on our last two cans on mixed veggies." Bridget said. "Lets get the kids ready." 

"Where we going?" Her 4 year old daughter asked. 

"Eat breakfast." She smiled. She fully dressed her kids and herself and took them out. "You can take the table in our room if you need it." She stated, holding her kids. 

"Let your kid take a seat and help us get it." Dani said. 

Bridget put Sky at the table. 

Jade brought out two chairs. "Sit, I'll get the rest." Bridget handed her the 5 month old boy, Cole. 

Bridget got the other two chairs and Dean grabbed the table. 

They all sat outside and enjoyed a good breakfast of coffee, hot tea, water, eggs and cereal. 

They finished and cleaned up. 

"Lets start dividing everything up. Bridget, Jade, your welcome to have some of our stuff but that means you help when we need help. You do your part." Gavin stated. 

Bridget needed help so she agreed. Jade was about to put up a fuss but Bridget shut her up.  

They emptied out the trucks and vans. They put all the food in the manager's office. They divided up some snacks though and gave them to each room. They divided up the dog food as well. 

Bridget and Jade got clothes they needed and some snacks. Gavin had extras for her kids. 

After everything was emptied Gavin said. "Alright, we need to make this place safe. Starting by taking out those infected in the back rooms. Then we find fencing and build around this place. Make it safe for us." 

"Umm." Bridget said. "Theres a group of stores maybe 5 miles up that way." She pointed the way opposite to wear Gavins group was going towards. "I know there is a hardware store and craft store. Oh and a super center everything department store. I haven't been out of this motel so I don't know if they've been emptied or not but I haven't seen any cars go by since this started."

"Alright, thank you." Ace said with a charming smile. 

"How about we move the cars that are here as like a wall." Charlie stated. 

Bridget went inside. "Here's the keys to my camaro." It is black and from the 70's. 

"Shes a beauty." David said. "What year?"

"71. My daddies before he died." 

"My station wagon." Jade pulled the keys from her coat pocket. 

"Alright, everyone get inside. Who wants to clean out the back rooms with me?" Gavin asked. 

"Count me in." Charlie said. She loved using her bow. "And if you ever touch my bow again. I'm going to use it on you." Charlie teased her boyfriend. 

"Me too." David said as he laughed at his girlfriends comments. 

"Grab the keys for the rooms available so we can see if they have anything we need." Gavin stated. "Everyone else inside."

"We'll go to, help gather things you might need." Jack and Daniel volunteered. 

"I have a wagon you can use." Bridget offered. She went in and grabbed it. 

"Uncle Gavin?" Mark asked.

"Yeah."

"Can we go home?"

"I really wish we could." He told him. "I'm sorry."

"I got them." Jessica said as she put her hand on Marks shoulder. "Come on boys." She walked to the room with the three boys. Sebastian was holding Sabrina and had Hope in a carrier on his chest. They all went in the room with the dogs.

The three went behind the first ten rooms and found the back ten. 11-20. They checked the knob for 12. It was open. They swung it open and they saw the one person with his head blown off by the wall. The wall had "In God I trust" written on it.

"Oh fuck. Get the blankets and pillows, anything useful. Then break the key in the door. I don't want anyone coming in here." Gavin said. They checked 15 next. 

"No ones in here." They said. 

"Maybe they just left and didn't return the key." 

"But Bridget said they were inside." Charlie stated. 

"Maybe she knew people checked in and didnt know they left." Jack said. 

"Maybe." 

"Grab the rest of the blankets and pillows, everything and lets go." Gavin stated. 

Each person got an extra blanket and pillow per person. They even split up shampoos, conditioners and body washes. 

Gavin was having a hard time staying awake. 

"I want to scout the area." He said trying to keep his eyes open. "See what and maybe who's around us." 

"Maybe you should sleep first." Charlie was worried about him. He hasn't slept in at least 2 days. 

"Cant, got stuff to do." He said. 

"Yes you can." Charlie told him. "We can handle it. Now go to bed." She playfully ordered. 

She escorted him to his room. "Hey boys, why don't we gather the extra blankets and make a fort in room 20." Charlie asked them. 

"Be careful." He mumbled barely able to think. 

"I got it." She assured him. 

He couldn't even keep his eyes open to see them close the door. 

"He's been up for 2 days." Jessica told Sebastian when she saw Charlie taking the boys out the room. 

"He's a leader, always has been. When we were teens, we were on vacation and there was a hurricane coming. Gavin took charge of a school full of people who didnt know him for more than 5 minutes and convinced everyone to calm down and relax. He got them singing and playing games. Everyone completely forgot about the hurricane." Sebastian told her. 

"So why did you hate him for so long?" She never wanted to ask but needed to know. 

"He didn't support me being a rockstar."

"Or was it he didn't support you leaving at 15?" She asked. 

"Probably that. But at the time I was angry and hated him. Then when I called him the next year to invite him to my first tour. He wouldn't come. I didn't know at the time it was because our sister dumped the boys on his step. After that we just didn't talk."

"Worlds over, make it right." Jessica said as she grabbed Sabrina to change her. 

 


	6. Motel:Morning

After a good talk with his wife Sebastian went out and saw the guys working. "Whats going on?" He asked. 

"Wanted to get a kinda gate up before any one goes out." Johnny said. 

"What is that?" Sebastian asked. 

"Chicken wire. There were a couple rolls and some equipment in room 13. If we double the rolls, one on top one on the bottom. We'll have a tall gate and it will last until we find something better." David stated. 

"Need help?" He asked. 

"No, go help with that beautiful baby." Dani teased. 

~~~

Gavin woke up and it was dark. He didn't see his kids. He quickly jumped out of bed and went to the door he opened it to see the chicken wire fence up. A fire pits lit up. 

"Wheres my kids?" He questioned. 

"Eating dinner inside room 19. We set the tables up inside now. It's to cold to be out." Anne said as she started putting the medicine bags in the manager's office. 

"You going?" He asked.

"I already ate." She smiled. "Go get some."

"I’m not hungry." Gavin admitted. "Who did the wire?" He asked. 

"The guys and Charlie helped after the boys were done playing. They want to search the area soon but wanted the place safe, knew you would approve." 

"Yeah, it's great." He said. "I'm gonna check on my kids." He left. He thought about making this place home. Part of him knew they could never settle. They would always be running for their lives. The knew this nightmare would never end but he needed to keep a brave face for those kids. 

He saw Johnny sitting on top of the Ford Transit. "What are you doing?" He asked. 

"On watch, can't let you stay up every night." He joked. 

"I'll take over after I check on my kids." He stated. 

"Nah it's fine, Dean and David are coming in a few minutes. Ace and Jack after him." He filled him in. 

Gavin felt like everyone fell into a groove while he slept. 

"Damn." He said. They didn't seem to need him. He walked around to Room 19. 

"Gavin!" The boys screamed happily. 

"Hey." He smiled at their happy faces. 

"We played cops and robbers in our fort!" Mark yelled happily. 

"I wish I could have played." He laughed. 

"We can play again!" Matthew shouted in excitement. "Come on!" He stood from the table and grabbed Gavin's hand. 

"Hey it's to dark, remember. We'll set it up bright and early and you can show your uncle Gavin then." Dani told them. She started clearing the plates from the tables and asked Gavin. "You gonna eat?" 

"Not hungry." He told her. 

"You okay?" Jessica asked him. 

"Yeah, just woke up. I'm never hungry when I wake up." Gavin told her. 

Sebastian said. "He never use to eat breakfast as a kid." 

"Your still tired." Jessica told him. She could see his eyes still wanting to stay closed. She worried about him. He was always the big brother she never had. 

"I'm fine. I swear." He told her. "Wheres my girl?" He looked for Hope. 

"Shes in this playpen, with her new friend." Jessica said. Gavin looked and saw Hope and Cole rolling around in the play pen. Their only 6 months old, not much else they can do. 

Gavin looked at Hunter, quietly eating his food. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Sleepy." He pouted. He knew he missed his parents too. He knew part of this boy was depressed but he didn't know how to fix it. This isn't a life for kids. This isn't a life at all. 

"Alright, finish your food then lets get you ready for bed." He said. 

He went over to Jessica. "Has he been like this all day?" 

She nodded. "He called for his mommy earlier. I didn't know what to do." She was tearful. 

"I'll talk to him." Gavin said. 

They heard the clanking of the wire fence and Gavin rushed out. He saw two deadheads dropping outside the gates. 

"We got it." Johnny told him. “Get you rest, cause I’m not covering for your ass forever.” Johnny chuckled. "Time to switch." Johnny handed the spear to Dean. 

Charlie handed hers to David. “Kiss for luck.” She kissed David. 

"Time for bed!" Dani yelled when she looked at her watch, 9:24 pm. 

Everyone started to break off and go to bed. 

"Can you watch the twins for a minute, I want to talk to Hunter before they come in." He asked Jessica as they started to move around. . 

"Alright." Jessica agreed. 

"Lets go get ready for bed." Gavin lifted Hunter and took him to the room. He picked out a set of dinosaur pajamas and helped him get changed. "What's a matter?" Gavin asked. 

"Nuffin." He mumbled. Clearly lying.  

"Aunty Jessi told me that you asked for mommy." He calmly said. 

He nodded. 

"You miss mommy?" He asked. 

Hunter nodded with tears. 

"I know buddy." Gavin said. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could bring her back for you..."

"I want my mommy!" He was screaming now. All he knew was mommy was having a baby, then mommy never came home. 

"Hunter, I dont know what to say to make you feel better. Mommy and Daddy loved you so much. If they could, they would be here right now. But a sick person made them very sick so they cant be." Hunter was crying so hard and Gavin was trying to hold him and keep him calm. "Mommy and Daddy are in heaven." He thought that might make it easier. Gavin didnt know what to say to comfort him. "I'm not going to leave you. I'm right here. If you get scared just call me and I'll come running. No matter where I am, no matter what I’m doing, I will run for you." He promised. He feared his promise would be broken with the deadheads out there. "Lets go get the boys and get ready for bed." Gavin smiled at him. 

Gavin just opened the door and was hit by a cold burst of wind. "Fuck." He looked at Hunter. "Dont say that, its a bad word. Can you go run on the bed and huddle under the blankets, I'm gonna stand at the door real quick." He did as told. 

"Charlie, can you get Sebastian to bring the boys and Hope over?" He asked, not wanting to leave Hunter. "Nevermind." He saw them chasing each other. 

They made it to the door and Gavin let them in. "Put your Pjs on, there on the bed." He closed the door and waited until Sebastian brought Hope over. 

"I can keep her for the night." Jessica told him. 

"It's fine." He stated. "I miss my kids." He smiled. None of them are his biological kids but they will be his for the rest of his life. 

"It's getting cold, make sure she stays warm."

"I will." He smiled. He took Hope inside and changed her into some clean warm clothes. Mark and Matthew were laying on the one bed and he tucked them into 3 heavy blankets. Made sure they were warm. Hunter was sleeping in Gavins bed with Hope. He had 3 thick blankets on them. He wasnt sure if it was enough. Gavin slept uncomfortably. He was scared his kids wouldn't be warm. He saw the fires outside during the night. Heard the gates rattle at some points. He barely slept but was woken up in the morning to his door being knocked on. 

He whipped his eyes and looked out the peephole. It was Charlie. "You cut your hair?" He asked when he opened the door. Her short red hair, even shorter now. 

"Yes." She smiled. "We found a battery powered shaver and shaved most of it off. I hate it when it gets to long. Anyway not why I came here. The group is leaving in an hour, you going?" 

"Yeah, of course. Well wake those kids up its breakfast time." She smiled and left. 

Gavin woke up his kids. They went back into room 20 and ate breakfast. Gavin feed Hope a bottle then handed her to Jessica, who had just finished feeding Sabrina. He was so proud of Jessica. She's become a strong woman and amazing mother. 

"When are we leaving?" Gavin asked.

"Might not be. The snows about 2 inches deep and not stopping." Johnny said when he came in. 

"I get it but if its getting bad we need more blankets, heavy clothes, plastic wrap for the windows. We need to stay warm." Gavin stated. 

"He's got a point." Anne said. 

"Yeah but do you want them to freeze to death?" Dani said. 

"They'll be in the car, they'll have heat." Anne said. 

Gavin was thinking while people were discussing back and forth. 

"I'm not letting you out of here in that weather." Anne yelled at her husband. 

"So you would rather everyone freeze to death instead of us go get blankets?" Johnny getting annoyed asked. 

"Wait!" Gavin yelled. "If you get to cold get in the cars and stay warm with the heat. Use the 18 seater if you have to." Gavin stated. "We can always find more cars. But we need to get everything we can before it gets worse. We lost to much because of that fire." 

For some reason Gavin seemed to be the leader and what he said went. He just has this power to his words. 

"Now who is all going?" Gavin  asked. 

David and Charlie lifted their hands. 

Johnny and Dean raised their hands. 

"Only four of us should go, just in case." Gavin said. "One of you decide who's staying." Gavin started to kiss his kids heads and hug them goodbye. He promised to come back though. 

"I'm staying." Johnny told Gavin. "I'll watch the gates with Ace and Jack." 

"Alright. Kiss your kids, pack your bag, grab your weapons. We'll take the station wagon and the blue truck, They've got enough room for people and enough room for supplies. We leave in 5 minutes and make it back by tonight." Gavin stated. He grabbed his bat that has nails sticking out. He had his knife just in case. Dean and David had knifes at their sides and machetes. Charlie had her bow and arrow. 

"I feel like Robin hood. Anyone got a green hooded cap?" Charlie joked. 

"No but if you find Green silk I'll make you one." Jessica teased. 

They put on winter cloths and scarfs. They were ready to leave. 

"Make sure you move the cars back into place as soon as we pull out." Gavin told Johnny. 

"Not even getting out of the car." Johnny said. He was ready to move the military truck out of the way so they could get out and put it right back so nothing could get back in. 

Jessica had to calm Hunter. As he saw Gavin get in the truck he started to cry. He hated it. HE is only four but he thought Gavin would break his promise. 

“I don't like this either.” Jessica mumbled as cradled Hunter to  her chest. 

“I don't like this plan.” Liz stated as she sat next to Jack on the car hood. 

“No one does. It’s the end of the world honey and there ain't shit we can do to stop it.” Sebastian said. “Grow up, face it and survive.” He was annoyed. “We pout and we cry and life sucks, life's always sucked. You can keep going or you give up. But if you give up you do it on your own.” He told them. 

“Calm down.” Jessica told him. 

“You should take a lesson from your your brother and speak with respect.” Ace told him. 

“Dad.” Jameson said. He doesn't like tension. 

“I’m being honest. If you can't deal with that than that's-” 

“Sebastian!” Jessica scolded him. “Take the kids inside.” She wanted this to stop. “Go.” 

When he was inside Jessi stated. “My husband has a hot temper, always has. But what he said, brutal but true.”

“People have a right to be scared.” Jack said. 

“Yeah, they do.” Dani said. “No one can take your fear away. But we all need to try and be brave. Just to survive.” 

Ace stood up and went to the gates. “Shh.” He said. He heard something. He didn't see anything. “We keep being loud we’ll draw a crowd.” 


	7. Supply Run

Supply Run: 

Charlie and David were in the blue truck and Gavin and Dean were in the station wagon. They stayed next to each other while they drove down the road. Both going 45 miles. They made it to the super store in less than 10 minutes. A gas station and coffee shop were on one side while the super store and 4 small others were on the opposite. 

"Look at them." Charlie said. There were a few deadheads roaming around the parking lot. "I'll get them." She used her bow and arrow to kill 6 out her window. She became an amazing shot.  She opened the door and collected her arrows. David was right behind her. 

"Let's get in." Gavin stated as he climbed out the station. "It's fucking cold." he said to himself. 

“We need to warm up.” Charlie playfully rubbed up against David. 

“Yeah when the deads not walking around us.” He stated. 

They saw the doors were closed. 

Gavin used his fingers to pry them apart. They weren’t locked. 

"Charlie and David clothes, blankets, anything warming. We'll get food, drinks, hopefully weapons." Gavin stated. 

They all grabbed carts and went their separate ways. 

"You think we're gonna survive the winter?" Dean asked. 

Gavin took a deep breath. He thought. "Yeah, if we huddle up. Make the rooms warm. Body heat.” He said. 

“So a giant orgy of people.” Dean joked. 

“Basically.”

Gavin followed the signs and went towards the food isles. He cautiously turned down each isle. Most food seemed to be gone. There were scattered cans of soup he collected. Ripped boxes of cereal. As long as the bag wasn't ripped, he took it. 

He started to hear groans. He slowly stopped and saw as a body turned the aisle and charged at him. He didn't want to ram the cart into it and get it's infected blood over everything. He grabbed a can of dripping peas off an shelf right next to him and harshly threw it at his head. It hit, didn't cause much damage. Just enough to distract him so he could grab his knife, get close enough and stab him in the head. It was hard getting the knife back, it felt stuck, but he needed a weapon. 

“You okay?” Dean turned the aisle from where the dead man came. 

“Yeah.” He saw the man with blood splatter on him. “You?” 

“Took out three.” He bragged. 

Gavin saw Dean had four cases of water and some scattered bottles. 

“I’m gonna see about formula.” Dean said. 

“Be careful.” He said. He needed to get more food. 

He turned to the next aisle. “International.” He said to himself. 

It was almost fully stocked. He grabbed all the rices, tortilla shells, cans of beans and tomato sauces. His cart was fully loaded now. He took everything he could find.  

~~~

David and Charlie stuck together. “You know what I love about these super stores, they have a little bit of everything.” Charlie smiled as she swung her cart around into a spin. 

She was tossing the blanket and sheet sets into the cart. “I’m only grabbing kings and queens because, well the bigger the better right?” She was talking to herself not expecting David to reply. 

“We have to grab baby blankets to.” David said. Charlie turned and she looked at him like she forgot he was there. 

“I know.” She stated playfully. 

“I love it when you’re in your head. But you have to pay attention. Not time to think about dancing unicorns and singing kittens.” He laughed. This was an actual conversations she had, had with herself before. 

“It’s dancing kittens and singing unicorns.” She corrected him with a smile. “The kittens are fluffy so the fur wiggles when they dance and the unicorns sing because their horns are like microphones it makes everything louder.” She reminded him. 

“My bad Miss Crazy Pants.” He teased. 

He was lost looking at her when an infected crashed into his cart. Charlie had her bow ready and shot it, clear in the head. 

“And you told me I need to pay attention.” She pushed her cart ahead of him. 

“Come on, gotta keep up.” She teased. 

~~~

The four met up by the entrance. 

“Carts are loaded.” Charlie smiled, happy with herself. 

“There's fully loaded aisles of camping gear back there but it can't fit in the carts.” David said. 

“Alrights let's drop all this stuff. We did good. Then come back and get more.” Gavin suggested. 

“I’m not sure if we should leave it. What if somebody else comes by?” Charlie asked. 

“What about checking the cars around. Seeing if they have gas. Loading up more.” David offered. 

“Put the stuff we have in the station wagon.” They were able to squeeze all four carts into the stations wagon. It was like tetris and Dean enjoyed the puzzle. 

“Someone has to stay in the wagon.” Gavin said. 

“I’ll do it.” Dean offered. “I’ll check out some of these cars while I’m at it.” Dean closed the car door. He started pulling carefully at other car doors to see if any would open. 

“You want me to stay and watch your back?” CHarlie asked. 

“Nah, I’m good.” He assured them. 

They went back inside while Dean started looking in the cars in the parking lot. He found a few living corpses. He killed them quickly and quietly. In the cars he found some minor things. Some cheap painkillers, a first aid kit. He found a gun in a woman's purse. 

By the time he saw the others coming out of the store with three loaded carts he had two cars ready for them to use. A Nissan Rogue and a Toyota Land Cruiser. 

They loaded up the truck and the Nissan. They could have went back for more but the sun was going down and it was freezing cold already, without the sun it would have gotten a lot worse. 

Gavin drove the truck. 

Charlie and David were in the Nissan. 

And Dean was in the station wagon.

They hoped to go home to peace and quiet.

Gavin had thoughts of tucking the kids in the extra blankets they grabbed. 

Charlie thought about David, keeping him warm in ways only she knew how. She grabbed the had he didn't have on the steering wheel. 

Dean just wanted to get back to his wife and kids. 


	8. Chapter 8: Motel Fall

Jessica watched the others leave. She had to keep Hunter calm he was crying so much for Gavin. She put him in the room and told him she would get him a snack. “Hey boys, why don't we build that fort again?” Dani asked. 

“To cold.” Mark grumpily said. 

“The fort will keep us warm. All those toasty blankets.” She tried to persuade him. 

“NO!” He yelled. 

“Mark.” Jessica scolded him. 

He ran into the hotel room. 

“All the boys are upset. Especially Hunter. Gavins all he has left.” 

Dani shook her head in sadness. “I don't know what to do anymore.” She started to shake. 

“I need to get inside.” Jess said. 

“Me too.” They went to separate rooms. 

“Matthew!” Jess called him over before going in. He rushed over. “It’s to cold.” He went inside. Sebastian was in there. He was holding Hope and reading to her, Sabrina and Hunter. 

“Matthew, Mark. Why don't we play a board game? I found a few different ones in the manager's office. Could be fun.” She pulled them out of the dresser. 

“Fine.” They grunted. Jessica put blankets around the doors and windows trying to keep the air out but it wasn't working. She distracted the boys with games while Sebastian cared for the little ones. 

~~~

The Ray families huddled up in one room. They kept the kids bundled in blankets. Pongo hid under the bed. Johnny held his wife with their kids in between them. Dani held her daughter. They all squeezed on one bed. They tried to keep the body heat. 

“This is working.” Dani admitted. 

Being huddled up in this buddled of people and blankets was keeping everyone warm. 

~~~

Ace had his youngest sons Jim, Johnny and his girlfriend Liv in his room. Jameson and his daughter Bailey were there too. 

Daniel Jack and Liz explored the manager's office for heaters or really just anything to stay warm. 

~~~

Nobody realized, no one was on watch. If someone was, they would have realized the dead were heading they’re way. A horde of them. To many to count. To many to defeat. 

~~~

Jessica was freezing with the kids. “I’m going to the car.” She told Sebastian. 

“Let's go.” 

“Leash the dogs please.” She handed him the leashed. “Boys, listen to me.” She got their attention. “Stay close, don't run or fall behind. It is to cold to be messing around.” She didn't respond. “Do you understand?” 

They nodded. Sebastian has Hope in a carrier on his chest. 

Jessica had Sabrina. 

Sebastian had a dogs leash in each hand. 

And Jessica held Hunters hand. 

“Ready?” She asked. 

They were. They quickly rushed to the van. 

“Why is no one on watch?” Sebastian questioned. 

He got his family inside and turned the heat on. 

“Stay by the vents.” The boys warmed up quickly. 

“I’ll grab more blankets and see where everyone fucking is.” He grunted in anger. 

Jessica began to breastfeed Sabrina. A few moments later she saw Bridget rushing out with her kids. 

“She came in.” It is way to cold!” She was shaking. 

"I know, I'm shocked no one else is coming in." She had Sabrina sucking from her breast. A few moments had past and Sabrina was done. She recovered her breast and put Sabrina in a car seat. They heard a crash and screaming. The kids got scared. Jessica stood and looked out the window. 

"Fuck." Jessica quietly said. There were more than 30 deadheads that just broke down the makeshift gate. Sebastian rushed in. She saw Emma getting taken down with Joy. 

He dropped the blankets and was in complete shock for a moment. 

"They need help!" She yelled to Sebastian. 

"Watch those kids." He ordered her. 

Before he could get back out those doors deadheads had blocked him in. 

"Just watch the windows." He looked at the kids. "Keep quiet." 

Jessica saw the rotting bodies roaming, room doors opening and people getting hiding. She started to cry. She wanted to help but that would risk these kids. She saw so many zombies. She hoped the rest of the people were still in their rooms. 

"Do you see Jade?" Bridget asked. 

She looked back and Bridget knew without her saying it. Her friend was dead. 

Johnny Ray was hiding in her room with his wife, kids, sister in law and niece. They locked the dog they had in the bathroom. They could see the deadheads piling up. It was terrifying. 

Everyone prayed the others would come back and be able to help. 

A while passed before they did anything. 

Sebastian turned the car off. The sound was drawing more. 

"Their gonna freeze." Jessica whispered. 

"The sound is making it worse." Sebastian stated. "Head down." He told Mark who lifted his head to look out the window. 

"I wish Gavin would hurry." Jessica said. 

"At least the babies are napping." Bridget stated. 

~~~

“Dad Bailey is freezing.” Jameson said as he wrapped her in another quilt. 

“They got the bus on we can go in there.” He said. He looked out the window. “Fuck.” His jaw dropped. 

Liv looked and tried not to cry. “Oh god.” 

Johnny grabbed her. “Shh.”

~~~

"I want Dean to come back but I dont want him to walk into this." Dani said as she rocked her four year old daughter. 

"I know how you feel, he's my brother." Johnny stated as he pushed the dresser in front of the door. 

"How many?" Dani asked when she saw Anne peek out the window. 

"50 plus." She said in fear. 

"Momma, I gotta pee." Noah said. 

Anne grabbed Noahs hand and walked her to the bathroom. She saw it instantly. "Oh shit." She sighed before letting Noah in. "Johnny." She called him in. He came over and looked. 

Their dog Pongo was dead. He was so old. 15 years old, 3 years past his expected life time. 

"He did have a heart problem, probably just hit him." Johnny told her. 

Anne cried. "He was all alone in the bathroom, it's only been 20 minutes. He died by himself." She hated herself for that.  

"It's okay momma, he's with Curly and Fluffy and grandpa." Noah tried to comfort her. 

"Johnny put him in the tub and put a blanket over him until we can bury him." She tried to stop crying. "Noah, go potty." 

~~~

"What if we drive the van as close as possible to each door and grab people." Jessica whispered. 

"This things to big, plus we're trapped in." The minivan was blocking them. 

"Jessi?" Hunter asked. 

"Yes buddy?"

"Theres lights." He pointed behind the van.  

"It's Gavin." Jessica stated. 

"What the fuck happened!" Dean yelled from the truck when he saw the hoard of infected. 

Dean went to open the door but Gavin stopped him. 

"If you go out there you will die!" He stated. 

"My daughters in there!" He yelled. 

"Yeah so is my kids and my brother and his wife and daughter. We will get them!" Gavin assured him. 

 

 

 


	9. Chapter 9: Escape.

Gavin didn't know if anybody was left. They saw the infected but no one living. 

"They're there!" Dean saw his wife looking out the window. 

"You ready?" Gavin asked. 

"For what?" 

"This." Gavin pressed his foot on the gas and charge over dozens of infected until he was right in front of the motel. 

Dean followed right behind and did the same for the station wagon except he pulled onto the curb and turned so his door right at the rooms door. 

He rushed inside and squeezed his family in the station wagon. It was a tight squeeze but they fit. He drove back towards Gavin who had his window cracked at the top and was squeezing his knife into the heads of the ones who came by. “Where to?” Dean yelled. 

“Anywhere else!” He yelled 

"Hey!! OVER HERE!" Gavin saw Liz scream from the window. Gavin backed it up and went back to the road. 

"What is he doing?" She yelled.

He couldn't get to them the way he was. He had to pull back and try again. He had blood all over his window. But he had to get back to them. He turned. He drove. He hit a dozen or so more. 

“Gavin!” Jessi yelled from the 18 seater. “We’re trapped.” She cried out. 

“Just stay put!” He ordered her. 

Gavin drove the truck as close to the manager's office as he could. 

He grabbed the knife he had and went for the door. He killed the four banging on it and the three charging for him. He almost got bit by everyone. He used one hand to fend of a dead man as he used the other ram the knife into the others head. It was nearly impossible, working from every end with no help. “"Grab as much as you can and get inside!” He ordered when he killed the closest ones. 

Liz, Jack and Daniel started grabbing the bags they had in there. They put them on their bags. Gavin grabbed two large duffel bags and one backpack. The two got in the truck quickly.

Gavin didn't get in. “Get out of here!” He ordered Jack. Gavin ran towards his brother. He got in the minivan that was blocking them in. They leave the keys in the car. Its just easier. He pulled the keys from the glove compartment. He had trouble started it but eventually was able to get out the way. He heard the start of the engine and saw his brother start to drive away. 

He looked back and saw Charlie on top of Nissan, shooting what she could with her bow. But she was out of arrows. She saw Gavin give her the signal and she smacked on the roof telling David to start driving. She held on tight as he did. 

Gavin drove the minivan to Ace. He saw them in the window and got them quickly in the van. It was pretty easy since he killed most of the dead already. 

Everyone still alive managed to get away.

Gavin looked back and wondered what happened. 

He saw as everyone drove towards the department store. 

When they stopped in the parking lot Gavin ordered. “Get inside the store! GRab everything from the cars and get inside. Those things will be here soon.” Everyone could tell he was furious. 

They did as told. As quickly as possible. They went to the department store and boarded the closed doors up with furniture the store had. They had to keep the deadheads out. 

Gavin wanted to yell. He wanted to scream but he had to wait. Wait to see if anything passed them. 

He quietly held in his anger. 

It felt like hours had passed by the time he saw the last deadhead pass the window. 

“So what the hell happened?” He questioned in anger. 

Daniel was about to respond but Gavin asked. “Was anyone on watch?” 

Johnny said. “It's to cold.” 

“I don't care.” He shouted. “We went out in this! We fought to bring back supplies in this weather. If someone stood watch we could have avoided people dying. You could have saw them coming. You could have hunkered down or got out quickly.” 

“Gavin, that's enough.” Jessica yelled at him. “It’s enough.” 

He shut up and walked towards the back to cool off. 

~~~

Ace knew they fucked up. But he worried for his granddaughter and kids. 

Johnny held his wife and kids. He also knew he fucked up.  But again he worried for his family. 

 


	10. Staying

As the day went on they decided to settle in for the night.  They set most people up in the home goods section using the display beds and chairs to sleep on. The store had sets of blankets and pillows. They would be good, at least for the night. 

"We cant stay here." Sebastian told his brother. 

"I know that." He told him. 

"Why not?" Jack asked. "If we keep it warm, we'll be fine. This place is huge. Stocked, mostly anyway." 

"It's not safe. It's right out in the open." Dean said as he tucked his daughter under another blanket. "Theres deadheads already coming." 

"But the snow is making it almost impossible to get around." Liz reminded them. 

"So we can stay here like sitting ducks and get ripped apart when the deadheads finally breakdown the doors. Or we get out when we have the chance and keep our families safe." Dean stated. "We need somewhere safe. This place isnt safe."

"This is true. But its cold. We have to relax. Tomorrow a few of us have to find something else." Gavin said.

"Oh yeah cause leaving did good last time." Anne sarcastically stated. 

“Leaving is not a good idea but It wasn't the leaving that was the problem last time. It was no one else watching the place. No one making sure the dead weren't piling up.” Gavin confronted her harshly. 

"Then what? We all go? We have babies.” Jameson stated as he held his daughter. 

"No we stay here. We have food, shelter, blankets." Anne told him. 

"We can board up the door better but now we are fine here. It is to cold to take those babies and kids out there. The rest of you can do whatever you want but I'm keeping my kids here." Johnny said. 

"Lets take a vote?" Gavin asked. "We stay here, wait out the winter?" Gavin asked. 

Every women raised their hands. Including Ace’s entire family, except Ace.

Gavin didnt even have to asked the second question. That was the majority. 

"Guess we're staying." Gavin said. 

Gavin looked at Ace. “You been quiet.” 

“This whole worlds shit. Kids in this, it's stupid. Can't hide there, can't hide here. We’re all fucked.” He simply stated. 

~~~

After a couple days things started to settle. They had enough supplies to last for a while. They used shower rods and privacy curtains to make rooms. They had all the camping gear and baby supplies they needed. They mourned the people they lost. 

As days and weeks passed they settled in. 

Bridget is an artist. She drew everything and everyone. This super store was full of everything. 

Jessica made Charlie a green satin cape and hood. She wore it even though she couldn't use her bow anymore. 

~~~

A week passed and they fell into a routine. 

Four people on watch every night.  Two at the front door. Two on the roof. They built fires on the roof to keep them warm. In the morning three people cooked using a grill to hold a small fire and they cooked over top of that. They fed their kids, kept them entertained. Gavin walked his dogs around the store. He would take them on the roof if it wasn't to cold. Within the gated area only. They would eat dinner at a large table with chairs set up in the middle of the store. 

They had stacked all the stuff they never needed in the front of the store, blocking the doors and windows. They didn't plan on using the front doors again. The dead were piling up. To many to take out. 

~~~

Gavin was getting annoyed. They stayed in this department store for 3 months. The outside was hoarded with deadheads. They still had some supplies. But they had crying babies that attracted more and more creeps. They found a method to keep them quiet but it was hard. 

~~~

Fear hit them when they realized that they couldn't get out of the department store. 

"We have noise makers. We can draw them away." Jack stated. 

"And go where?" Dean asked. 

"Somewhere else." Liz stated. She knew this place isn't safe anymore.  

"We're fucking surrounded! We should have never stayed here this long!" He was so angry. 

"What were we supposed to do we have infants. Small kids. They would not have survived that snow with the dead chasing us down. Not to mention the fact that 18 seater doesnt even work anymore." Jessica yelled. "I was not risking my family out there." 

"Jessi!" Matthew ran over in excitement. 

"What, what is it?" 

"It's Hope!" He ran back to where they were playing. She ran after him. She was excited to see. Mark holding her one hand, Hunter holding her other and she was walking. She was so happy.

"Let me go get your uncle." She smiled.

"Gavin!" She hollered to him. He was at the front. Watching the door. They left a little hole too see what's out there. 

"Yeah?" He asked. 

"Hopes walking." She told him.

He smiled a little. "Thats good." 

"Come see."

He didnt want to. He just needed to figure out how to get out. 

"I cant." He wanted to change the subject. "What was that yelling I heard." He asked. 

"Deans starting again about leaving and us staying here." 

"He's right though." Gavin didnt want to stay here. 

Gavins face turned. He saw Sebastian running through the department store. 

"On the roof now!" He ordered. Gavin ran up with him. 

Johnny was there as well. 

"What the fuck?" They looked confused. 

Two people killing the infected around the department store. 

"Before I got you. Three people went down. Theres only 2 left." 

"Did they see you?" Gavin saw them. 

"I dont know." Sebastian admitted. 

"Yes." Johnny corrected him. "The couple. The two that just took off." 

Gavin rushed off the roof. "We havent seen people in months."

"People?" Jessica questioned. "Living people?" 

"Yeah." Sebastian stated. He looked around. "Wheres my girl?" 

"Sleeping in the crib." Jessica stated. 

Being in this store was helpful. They had everything they needed. 

Sebastian walked towards the cribs. 

"What are we going to do about these people?" Jessica asked. 

"Nothing, they cant get in." Gavin told them. 

"What if they have more people. Guns, weapons. They could get in here. We don't know what they have." Ane worried. 

"So what, find someway to get out, which we haven't been able to find yet. And abandon the stuff we have here. We cannot take more than a bag each. We don't have a car. 2 dogs, 12 kids-"

"Gavin." Sebastian called. "Your dogs wont let me get to my kid." He grunted. Gavin chuckled. 

He walked to the cribs. "Stella." The English Bull Dog grunted and walked away from the crib. 

"You should be happy, their protecting her." Gavin stated. 

"I'm not gonna hurt my daughter." He was annoyed as he lifted the almost 4 month old. 

"Stella doesn't know that." He joked.

Bridget came over to get her son. 

"Gavin." She smiled and greeted him. 

"Hey." He smiled. 

She lifted Cole who was bouncing on the side of his crib. 

"Why don't you relax and I'll cut that mop of yours." She teased. 

"It's fine. Dani's going to do it tomorrow."

"Good, cause I probably would have messed it up." She giggled. 

He was about to leave the area. 

"Gavin." 

He paused. "Yeah?" 

"Are we safe here?" She worried. 

"I hope so." He told her. "I'm not going to let you or your kids get hurt." 

"Dinner time!" They heard Anne call. 

They had a dinning tables set up. They needed multiple. 

"Whats for dinner?" Gavin asked as he helped put kids on booster chairs and highchairs.

~~~

In the department store they were getting their kids to sleep. They kept the beds close together. It was dark out. Cold. They could hear the groans of the dead outside. This had become a normal sound now. Gavin was tired. He made sure the twins were asleep. Hunter was asleep. Hope was fussing a little but feel asleep during the fuss. 

He saw his brother and sister in law sleeping. Sabrina was awake in her crib. She was just watching the still mobile. Gavin and Johnny were the only two left awake. 

"What are you doing up?" Gavin asked him. 

"Can't sleep. Those people, they had guns. They could come here if they wanted to." 

"Not if its only the two of them. No matter how many guns they have, they are no match for the group of deadheads out there." Gavin explained. 

"We're no match for them." Johnny reminded him. 

They heard Sabrina start to whine. 

He saw Jessi start to stand. "I got her." Gavin walked passed and whispered to her. He knew Jessi had just feed her so she probably just needed to be changed. 

He checked her diaper but she was dry. "You just wanted attention didn't you?" He teased the baby. She giggled a little. He held her and started walking around. 

He walked to the breakroom. 

He walked to the bathroom.  

He walked to the loading docks. Sabrina was happy and giggly. He love babies. He always wanted kids. he loved raising his nephews, even though he was only 18 and living in the smallest apartment. He helped raise Hunter before the world ended. Now he's raising Hope and helping with Sabrina. He walked over to the doors where the trucks would back into and listened. He didn't hear anything. 

He walked over to the the single door at the far end of the wall and looked out the peephole. He walked back into the main area. "Johnny." He quietly called. 

Johnny looked up and walked over. 

"When you and Sebastian are on the roof, you see anything in the back?" He quietly asked. 

He thought. "A few stragglers, nothing like the front."

"Any trucks?" He asked. 

"One right at the door. A second up the street like it was pulling away." He stated. 

"Tomorrow, we need to explore those trucks. See if we can either have transportation or just extra supplies." Gavin suggested. 

"The one in the street, the tires are flat." Johnny told him. 

"Alright, lets get some damn sleep." Gavin said as Sabrina fell asleep on his chest. 

 

 


	11. The Truck, And What To Do With It

Like always Gavin woke up first. He still had Sabrina and she soaked him, right through her diaper. He changed her, then himself and took her to Jessica. She was still a little groggy. But he whispered to her.  "Think she's hungry." She took her and began to nurse the baby. He snuck to check on his kids. They were sleeping peacefully. He was grateful for that. 

Gavin walked towards the front of the building. Gavin looked out the window in the front. Same hoard as yesterday and the day before. 

Gavin rubbed his eyes and pushed his hair back. "You want to check?" Johnny came over and asked. 

Everyone was still asleep and they knew they had to be sneaky. 

He stood. He went to follow Johnny but paused and checked on his kids again. All were sleeping all were sound. He did tuck an extra blanket on them just to be safe. 

He and Johnny walked to the roof. 

"It's empty in the back now." Johnny realized. 

"We take our knives and we check out that truck." 

They went to the loading docks and quickly opened, went out and closed the door. It was quiet back here. No dead. No living. They reached the front of the truck and saw the first deadhead. In the driver's seat. 

"You open." Gavin whispered and gestured encase he couldn't hear him. "I'll kill." 

Johnny counted down on his fingers. 

3

2

1

He opened the door and Gavin quickly stabbed the driver in the head. He had a black cap on that fell off, pulling his decaying scalp and hair off when the body fell. 

The keys were in the passenger's seat. 

Gavin started the engine. Half full tank. 

They took the keys and cautiously opened the back of the truck.

Johnny smiled. 

Gavin was almost lost he was so happy. 

Still boxed foods, waters and drinks.

Amazing. 

“THis will last for along time. Why did we not check this truck before?” Gavin asked in awe. 

“Cause we’re idiots.” He joked. 

Gavin grabbed the closest box and cut it open. Pasta noodles. 

They took and minute and backed the truck up just a few feet. Enough to open the dock doors and truck doors with no space between. 

They went back inside and saw a very angry Jessi and Anne. 

"Are you stupid!?" Anne shouted at them. 

"You don't go out there without telling someone!" Jessica yelled. 

"What was so important that you couldnt wake someone up!?" Anne shouted. 

"You don't do that!" Jessica scolded them. 

"Our boys wouldn't even pull that kind of stunt!" Anne shouted. 

"Those two are nowhere near as smart as any of those kids and 4 of them still poop their pants." Jessica shouted. 

They were both so furious. 

Johnny and Gavin took the scolding like good boys. 

"Can we talk now?" Gavin asked sarcastically. 

Jessi wanted to smack him for being so stupid and having the balls to be sarcastic. 

"What we were doing was searching a truck. Half a tank of gas. Fully stocked back. We'll be set." Gavin told them. 

They were in shock when Johnny lifted the doors and they saw the back. 

"You still didn't have the right to go out without telling anyone." Jessica told him.

They weren't sure if they should unload the truck or not. But no one expected anything bad to happen, so they did. They all unloaded the truck throughout the morning. By lunch it was done. They simply put everything right by the loading doors just in case. 

At this point Gavin had such a headache. Which he's been getting since he bashed his head back in the pet store. He hasn't told anyone though. He slipped an Ibuprofen and normally he's fine but today if wasn't going away. 

"What’s going on?" Sebastian asked his brother. 

"Nothing, I'm fine." He told him. 

"Liar." Sebastian told him. 

"Fuck off." 

Sebastian wasn't pushing it. He walked off. 

A few moments later Bridget came over. "Why don't you lay down. Put a warm rag on your head. That headache will go away real quick." She told him. He wondered how she knew. "It's stress. It makes it all worse. I promise I'll keep your family safe." She smiled at him. He was in too much to fight back so he gave in and went to bed. 

He felt Hunter climb into the bed with him. 

Hunter stayed awake but Gavin passed right out. 

~~~

Johnny and David went to roof. 

“We need to figure a way to get rid of some of them.” David said. 

“We have nose makers.” Johnny said. “But there's no way to get them to the front to chase them away. 

“There is one way.” CHarlie scared them because they didn't know she was on the roof. 

“Fuck.” David said. “Don't scare the hell out of me on a roof.”

She laughed a little. 

“What are you thinking?” 

“One of use, we take the toy car around the side. Get it going around the front. Get there attention and drive at least some away.” They knew automatically that was stupid. 

“No.” They both told her. “What happens to the person who takes the car around the building. If they get seen or heard, they will have at least one hundred dead things chasing them.” 

“I’m quick.” She told him.  

“Not a chance in hell!” David yelled. 

“So then we stay trapped in here like mice.” She told them. “It will work.” 

“Maybe, but you’ll die in the process.” David looked deep in her eyes. “I’m not letting that happen.” He clarified.

Johnny looked around while those two argued.  

He saw the truck and saw the deadheads were gathered in almost a circle. It seemed like they were trying to get in the front door. Like they remembered what they are supposed to do. 

“Charlies got a good idea.” Johnny said after he figured something out. 

“What?!”

David questioned in anger. 

“I know.” Charlie was happy he was agreeing with her. 

“Well a partially good pan.” He corrected himself.

“What do you mean?” David asked. 

“The truck.” He walked towards the edge. “We could jump on the truck from here. Somebody on top controlling the remote. Somebody inside driving around. Even if the dead catch them the truck will protect them.” 

“Well we have to do it now, there's no time to wait.” Charlie reminded them. 

“Should we wake up Gavin?” David asked. 

“No. He’s been getting headaches like crazy since he bashed his head in.” Charlie told him. 

“He hasn't said anything.” Johnny said. 

“I know but you can see it if you watch him. He sneaks a pill everyday. He tries to hide for a few minutes everyday when it gets at it's worse. He’s not going to sleep, he’s passing out in pain.” Charlie explained. 

“Alright. Let's let the others know what we're doing.” David told him. “We can't keep secrets.” 

They went downstairs and explained what they needed to do. 

“You’re insane!” Anne yelled. 

“Probably.” Charlie agreed. She does feel insane most of the time. 

“It’s not happening.” Dani agreed. 

“That's not a good idea at all.” LIz said. 

“I woulnt say that.” Ace said. “We could make it work. 

“See.” Charlie said. “I'm a guineese.” She teased. 

David chuckled.

CHarlie gave him a sarcastic grin. “It will get some of those things away.” Charlie reminded them. While playfully giving David dirty looks. 

“I’m telling Gavin.” Jessica said. 

“No.” Bridget stated. “You want to wake him up with all the pain he’s in. We can get this done while he sleeps.” 

“It’s stupid.” Sebastian said. 

“We’ll then let us be stupid.” Charlie said. 

Nobody wanted them to do it but they did, Ace offered to help but they didn't want to risk anyone else in the process. 

David got in the truck with the toy car. 

Charlie climbed on top with the remote. 

Johnny waited on the roof. 

They tested it just to make sure Johnny would be able to lift Charlie from the roof of the truck when they back the truck up. 

He could reach down and pulled her up. After he got her up he lowered her down and it was fine. They should be fine. 

David started the truck and Charlie braced herself on top. He drove the truck to the corner. Quickly he put the toy truck on the ground and locked himself inside. 

Charlie controlled the toy car and made it turn around the building before she switched the sirens on. Several infected turned their heads, staring at it and quickly went for it. It was small and able to fit between their feet. The dead banged into each other trying to get it. SHe couldn't see the car but she could hear it. She could hear it moving past their feet. She could see them turning away and getting away. Not all but some. She chased them back towards the hotel they stayed at so long ago. Maybe forty followed it. It was to far away for her to control now. She hoped something would distract them and make them keep going. 

David waited a few minutes before he backed up. Not even turning just backing it up. Charlie laid on the truck roof as he backed up. She realized, they could do this again. Get more away. 

When David reached the store Johnny offered his hands down to lift up Charlie. She came up and they met David at the doors to let him in. 

Since nothing happened they planned on doing it again in the morning. It was getting late. 

Liv and Johnny sat in their little section and gave dirty looks. They hated these people but didn't say anything. Johnny and Liv have a bad attitude but play so quiet. Ace can see his son and his girlfriend are up to something but he honestly didn't want to deal with them. He could never guess the things that go through their heads. 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	12. The Crack

Gavin woke up to Hope tugging on his hair. 

He groggily said. "I gotta get that cut." He looked over at her. "Hey sweet girl." 

"Boo." She said. 

"What?" He was confused, was that technically her first word?

"Yes, its a technically a word." Jessica lifted Hope. It's like she knew what he was thinking. "The boys have been jump scaring each other and now she's doing it too." 

"Get up and I'll cut your hair." Dani told him.

He stood and swooped Hope up. He carried her out to the other kids. He put her down and saw Bridget smiling at him from a distance. He smiled back. 

Dani instructed him to sit at the dining table. She put a plastic shower curtain around his neck and started trimming. 

She finished and Bridget came over and saw him. "Wow, whole different person." She smiled. She heard her baby crying and rushed to him. 

"You have a crush on her." Dani stated with a smile. 

"No. Cant." He said as he stood. 

"Life's way to short these days to sit back and do nothing." Dani told him with a pat on the shoulder. 

Gavin saw Sebastian walking over, he could see something was wrong. 

"What?" Gavin met him halfway. 

"Windows cracking." They rushed to the front and saw a large crack on the main window. The window wasn’t large but the crack went right through it. The dead on the opposite side started pounding harder as the site of fresh meat. They typically avoid this window but with a crack you can't avoid it anymore. 

"This won't hold." Gavin stated. They backed away from the window, out of sight. 

"Johnny, Dean!" Gavin called. "We can't stay here any longer." 

“Can we clear it with the cars again?” Charlie asked. 

“There's not enough time. That crack is to big.” David explained. 

“Cars?” Gavin question. 

“I’ll explain later.” Sebastian said.

"We've got half a tank in the truck." Johnny stated. 

Gavin thought. "Bridget and Jessi keep an eye on all the kids now. Dress them, shoes, jackets, everything." He saw them scatter. "Dani and Charlie grab the go bags." 

"Dean and Johnny, watch that door and make sure that crack doesn't get worse. If it does just run." He stated. 

"Everyone else make room on that truck. Pack up whatever you can that's necessary." They all scattered and starting doing what they needed. “Load the boxes we need.” 

Gavin went to the roof to see if it was safe to get in the truck. 

He saw the front was flooded. The back managed to get 3. A women in a summer dress and broken heels. And two men. Gavin thought they looked like old trucks. All three were decaying. They had to have been dead for weeks. Not decayed enough for it to be months though. 

He thinks for a minute. He knows their not the only group out there. But how many people could actually be out there and for how long? 

Gavin went down and helped Bridget and Jessica with the kids. Jessica was scared Gavin could see it. "Go, get them in the truck." He told her, talking about the little ones who were already ready. 

“Ace.” Gavin hollered. He looked over and saw him carrying two large loaded duffle bags. “When your done, I want you to drive the truck.” He said. 

“You sure?” HE asked. 

“Yeah, Johnnys got the keys just grab ‘em.” He said. 

Ace had disclosed that he use to drive trucks for a living so if anyone could do it he should be able to. 

Gavin gave the older kids their coats and led them out. He put them on the truck with their parents and Jessica.

"Everyone and everything's on the truck." Johnny stated as he loaded the last bag. 

“Put some of these boxes back in. Just throw them in. Something breaks who cares.” Gavin instructed. 

"Gotta get my dogs." Gavin said. 

"Get in the driver's seats. We'll meet you there." Johnny tossed the keys to Ace. 

Johnny rushed with Gavin to get his dogs. "Oh fuck." The window shattered and deadheads came pouring in. 

"I forgot the bottles." Jessica said, she didn't know the window broke. 

Nobody heard her say it. She got out the truck with Sabrina and headed into the main room when the deadheads poured into the loading area. They went right for her and a sleeping Sabrina. She screamed, everyone looked and saw. Sebastian dropped the box he was moving and ran for her. She fell into a pile of boxes, appearing to have been devoured. Sebastian couldn't get to her without getting himself killed. But that didn't matter to him. Dean stopped him though. He threw Sebastian into the truck and quickly slammed the door. 

"Go!" He hollered and the truck drove off. 

Sebastian was kicking and screaming to get out. He wanted to die with his wife and daughter. 

Dean held him in. 

"Wheres Johnny?" Anne asked with worry. 

Sebastian realized. "Gavin?" 

"Who else is missing?" Dani asked. 

"Where is my husband!?" She yelled in fear. 

After sitting in fear, sadness and anger for 15 minutes. The truck stopped. 

They saw the door open, it was David and Charlie. 

"Wheres Johnny and Gavin?" Dani asked. 

"They went to get the dogs." David told them. 

Annes heart dropped. She couldnt breath she was having a panic attack in front of her boys. 

Sebastian just realized he lost his brother, wife and daughter all in one day. He was in shock. 

~~~

Gavin and Johnny were fighting. Using pocket knives they had. They made it to the bathrooms and were locked in. They heard Stella and Prince crying and howling. They were feed upon. 

Gavin was pushing the drop ceiling up and looking for something. 

"What?" Johnny asked. 

"Charlie hid fire bombs in the ceilings-Got it!" He said as he pushed up a third tile. 

"What the fucks a firebomb?" Johnny cursed as he tried opening the bathroom window. 

"Some lighter fluid, torch, matches." He started setting it up. 

In the winter they noticed these things seemed to avoid the flames. They must have had some kind of sense of danger. Something leftover from when they were alive. 

"We can go out the window." Johnny stated. 

Gavin knew his kids were in the truck. "My dogs." Gavin said. It was all he had left of Summer. 

"Gavin you heard them, their gone." Johnny said. 

"i have to check the loading dock, make sure everyone got out." He told him. 

"We go out the window and around the back. It will be safer." Johnny told him. 

They climbed out the window and started lighting the torches. They went around and saw the truck was gone. 

Gavin was furious. He threw a lite torch inside and hit a stack of boxes close by. The deadheads grunted and seem to stray away. Little did they knew they just saved Jessica and Sabrina. She was safely hidden under those boxes that collapsed on top of her with Sabrina still sleeping. Jessica was still and silent. 

Gavin and Johnny didnt know of Jessica being in there. They didnt even know where to go but they walked, following the back road. Keeping one of the torches in Johnny's hand. 

Jessica noticed through a small hole that the dead heads were leaving but she also saw the flames were getting higher. 

Could she run now? Would Sabrina be safe? Just a few more seconds and the flames came closer. 

She had to run. She pushed the boxes 

The deadheads started to follow her but she kept running. 

Sabrina woke up, scared. Jessica ran. No idea where she was going just getting away from the deadheads. Little did she knew she was going the opposite ways of her husband and family. 

~~~

"Did you see anyone in the store?" Gavin asked. 

"No." Johnny stated.

They were half way down the road when they saw the truck. They both ran up. 

Gavin lifted the truck door and the kids and some adults. 

"Johnny!" Anne jumped on her husband in tears. 

"Gavin!" Mark and Matthew ran to him and jumped him in a hug. Hunter meekly walked over and joined the hug

"Wheres my brother?" A moment of silence. "Jess? Sabrina?" Gavin questioned. 

Bridget walked up to him. 

"Where are they?" He questioned again in worry and anger. "Jessica and Sabrina were taken down in the store, they're gone. I don't know why she got out of the truck. Sebastian tried to run to her but she was gone. Dean threw him in the truck and closed the door. We stopped. Sebastian got angry and took off. Dean and David are looking for him." She calmly and compassionately told him. Gavin wanted to lose it but he has kids that need him. 

"Wheres Hope?" He asked. 

"I got her." Charlie was holding her. 

"I gotta find my brother." Gavin said in shock. 

"NO!" Mark yelled. He was scared. 

"Alright." Gavin got the boys to sit. 

After closing the truck door with them all inside, twenty minutes or so passed. "It's going to get dark." Gavin stated. 

"Just wait." Dani told him. 

A little while passed. They heard a knock and the door lifted. 

David and Dean helped Sebastian in. He looked broken. A shell of himself. 

"Bas!." Gavin said. 

His head popped up and Sebastian grabbed his brother. 

"Did you see Jess?" 

Gavin shook his head. 

Sebastian broke down, crying on his brother shoulders. 

They started driving again. No one knew where they were going. 

David drove, Sebastian and Gavin were in the front with him. 

"Wait, wait, wait." Gavin said. 

Ace slowed down. 

"Camp site." Gavin thought. 

"No way man, it was late summer when this shit started. That place is probably full." David said. 

"Let me check." He stated. 

"Summers dads, best friend, owned this place. He was like an uncle for her." Gavin stated. "Last time I was here, the campsite had iron bars fence around it and its huge." The front gate was stone, connected to iron bars. 

They stalled the truck and Gavin climbed out. 

He went over to the closed gates. 

"You best back up." An older man, Gavin didn't know, stated. 

"My names Gavin, we have kids. We need somewhere safe." He pleaded. 

"No." He stated.

"We don't have enough to share with others." An older women came behind the man. 

Gavin looked back to David. 

"What if we had enough for everyone?" He asked. 

The couple looked to each other and whispered. Then looked at Gavin "Prove it." 

"Pull up." Gavin told him.

Ace pulled up. Gavin waited until the couple would be able to see the back. 

He opened it. 

First they saw all the people. Then they saw the boxes. 50 plus boxes. 

"What's inside them?" The older man stated as four more men came behind him. 

Gavin started to worry they would just take their stuff.

Dani handed him a box. The tape still sealed. 

Gavin used a pocket knife to cut the tape. 

He pulled out a box of cereal. Some organic brand Gavins never heard of. 

He showed them the contains to prove it wasn't just one box. 

The group talked amongst themselves. 

Gavin started to notice the deadheads coming up the road. "Time to make your choice." Gavin stated. 

"Open the gate." The women sated. 

Two of the men behind her went over to the gates. 

Gavin closed the truck door. 

The gate was rigged with several locks.

They managed to get the gates open and truck came in David started letting people out. .

"Listen to me and listen good. You work, you do your part. Or I personally will put a shotgun to your head." The older man stated.

"Got it." Gavin stated. They closed back up the gates but a few deadheads were there. 

Gavin grabbed the go bag they had from the truck and grabbed the electric car and pushed through the gates before turning it on, sirens and all. He drove it back down the road. They way they came from. Making the deadheads follow. 

"That's smart." The women stated. 

"These things are easily distracted." Gavin stated. "So what do you need us to do?" 

The women came over and said. "I'm Ellen, get your people in and set up. I see you have babies." She meant kids but anything little she considered a baby in this world. "Get them comfortable. My husband, Bobby, will show you were to go." She pointed to the man that threatened a shotgun. "How many trailers do you need?" She asked. 

"7." He said after looking his people over. 

"Where should we empty the truck?" Gavin asked. 

"Get your people comfortable then we can get the truck empty." Ellen stated. 

"Yes, Ma'am." Gavin stated. 

"Follow me." Bobby stated. Each person grabbed kids and bags and Ace closed and locked the truck. Sebastian was barely aware of anything just going through the motions. 

First Bobby stopped at the first desk to get keys for each home. This campsite wasn't like any other. They would let you rent out a trailer or mobile homes rather than you bringing one yourself. They did have empty lots just encase people already owned one. 

He grabbed 7 sets of keys and led them to four golf carts. They had solar panels, most of this place did. 

They squeezed everyone in and drove down the road. They saw a pool, mini golf, several shower houses, movie theater, playground, arcade, bingo hall, recreation center, another larger playground. A variety of fields, soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, tennis. They saw a bunch of trailers and houses along the way but finally stopped at 480. 

"Four homes on this side, four trailers on that side." Bobby pointed. "Pick your poison." He handed them the keys for 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485 and 486. 

"That one looks the biggest." Bridget said. "You should get that." She told Gavin. 

Gavin looked around, making sure everyone was okay with that.

"Go ahead, you got the most." Dani told him. 

"I'll help you in." Bridget told him. It was hard for her having the two kids and helping so Charlie interrupted. 

"How about we watch your babies while you help." She put her hands out for the baby she was holding.

"Thank you." She smiled. 

Bridget lifted Hope so Gavin could help his brother get in. The boys ran in quickly. Gavin saw how the home was set up. 

The front had a sectional sofa in the corner with a tv on the opposite wall. And a small table in the middle. 

There was a small dining area in the middle of the house. A dining booth on one side and a kitchen set up on the opposite. The kitchen included a fridge, stove, microwave, sink and several upper and lower cabinets. He even saw a coffee pot. 

Just passed that were sliding doors. It was the master bedroom. A large bed. A dresser built around it. 

The second floor held a bathroom and three small bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms had two beds. Someone lived here. It was decorated. One of the rooms seemed styled for boys. One was a princess theme. 

The last has two Cribs. It was scary how well this house fit Gavin’s family. 

"Wow, looks like a real house." Bridget stated. 

"I think it is. Its bigger than my apartment was." He stated in shock. 

Gavin took the kids upstairs to explore after dumping his brother on the sofa. 

"We can squeeze the third bed in here too and all your boys can sleep together." Bridget helped him move the third bed in. "Boys stay in here for a little bit." Gavin checked the closets. “Coloring books and crayons.” They went inside and Gavin closed the door. He took Hope down with them and put her on the master bed. She fell asleep during the walking. 

"Thank you." Gavin said to Bridget. 

"Your welcome." She told him with a smile. 

Bridget left and got her kids. 

Gavin checked on the boys and gave them a snack from his bag. He checked on his brother and saw him depressed. On the sofa, barely aware of anything. He went out his door and saw his group getting situated. Bridget was right across the road in a trailer. 

After a few minutes past he saw a few of his people coming his way. 

Johnny, Charlie, Dean Ace, Jack and David. 

"I'll watch your kids." Charlie stated. 

"Let's go met our new friends." Johnny stated. They hopped in one of the three golf carts that were left. It seated 6. So they all fit in one. 

They saw what they saw coming in, except some people too. 

They went back up to the front. Bobby was at the truck. Inspecting it. 

They drove up close to him. 

"We can divide it equally among each family. Just have to know what you have too." Johnny stated as he climbed out the truck.  

"Lets take it to the kitchen." Johnny climbed into the drivers seat and followed Bobby and his friends on the golf cart. 

Bobby lead them to the bingo building, in the back was a kitchen. 

"Daddy?" His adult daughter Billie asked when she saw these knew men come in. 

"These are the people your mom was telling you about." He told her. "Go check on the kids, I got this." He told her. She grabbed her hair clip of the shelves and left. 

"What we've been doing is lettin each family have a few snacks in home. But keep the meals here. Serving breakfast and dinner in here." Bobby stated. "Billie keeps track of the food, what we have, what we need." 

"That doesn't sound bad." Gavin looked to his group. 

"Fine." They agreed. 

They started bringing everything in. Billie came back with her youngest, in a carrier on her chest, to start logging in the foods and drinks. 

Bobbys family started to come over and help, teenagers, adults, they even saw kids running around. 

After unpacking Bobby said. "My brother Mark caught a deer this morning, planning on cooking it up, having a big barbecue tonight. Come by here around 6, houses should have a working clock." He stated. 

"Sounds good." Gavin said. He offered his hand. 

Bobby shook. 


	13. Chapter 13: First Night

It was nearly 6pm and Gavin had all of his kids washed and ready. It was the first time they could actually get fully clean in months. They had hot water and clean towels. The kids wore something other than just pajamas. 

Gavin tried to get Sebastian to go but he wasn't even speaking. Gavin couldn't blame him. He pushed the hair out his brothers eyes to see him. See his eyes. See how broken he really was. He promised to bring him back a plate of food though. 

He went outside with his kids and saw his group all ready in the cleanest possible clothes they had. They weren't very clean though.

Most kids sat on their parents laps as they got in the golf carts. It was a tight squeeze but they got there easy. 

They made it to the bingo hall before sunset. They saw the people. Happy and safe. A man was on a grill. 

"Plug those carts into the charging station if you want to take them home tonight." A man shouted with a smile on his face. He came over. "John." He offered his hand. 

"Gavin." Gavin shook. He introduced his people. "We got a Johnny too, two actually. A teen and that gigantic guy over there.” He pointed to Johnny. He was really tall but most of the people here seemed to be too. Hope was squirming out of his arms. 

"You can out her down, it's pretty safe around here. We haven't lost anyone in 6 months." John stated. 

"She cant really walk to well yet, gonna end up hurting herself." Gavin stated. 

"Alright. Make yourselves comfortable." John stated. 

"If you have dirty clothes there's washers and dryers in every shower house." Billie said with a smile. 

"We open the pool tomorrow at 10am. Feel free come by." A women with short wavy blonde hair stated. 

“A pool?” Matthew questioned. 

“Yeah.” Billie smiled at him. “We have floats, noodles and leave it open all day long.” She explained. 

“Can we?” Mark looked to Gavin. 

“We’ll see okay.” He told them. 

They partied, had food, drinks. They listened to music and relaxed. 

Gavin still grieved his sister in law and niece. He met the new people though. He saw his kids playing in the playground with the other kids. Hope was crawling around the sandbox close by with a few other kids. 

The night was over. Leftovers were put away. Kids were gathered up. 

"Alright, it's time for watch." John stated. 

Gavin and his group were looking around. "We'll help." Johnny offered. 

"Alright." The short wavy haired women who had introduced herself as Maggie, Johns wife, said. "Get your kids home and met us at the front gates." She said loud enough. 

Gavin and his group gathered the kids up and headed back. He handed Sebastian a plate of cold deer meat, a mashed up potato and corn. Sebastian took it to the table and ate without saying a word. 

As Gavin was putting the kids to bed he heard a knock on his door. 

It was Bridget. "If you wanted to go help with watch I could watch your kids for you. There was that extra bed upstairs Sky could sleep on."

"Alright, thank you." He smiled. She let Sky run in, she was in her pajamas. 

Bridget set Sky up in the room upstairs. She fell asleep quickly. Hope and Cole were left awake. Bridget asked the older boys to stay upstairs and try to go sleep or play quietly. Bridget thought about putting the babies in the cribs but she wasn't comfortable enough yet to leave the babies to far away from her. 

"Are you okay Sebastian?" Bridget asked. He didn't respond just finished the food on his plate. He tried to go to this sofa but weakly fell, like he had no strength to bother. She put the little ones on the floor and lifted him up. SHe walked him over to the sectional and he just plopped there. 

She looked for spare pillows and blankets and found them in a hall closet. She draped a blanket over him and tended to the little ones. 

Both Hope and Cole had to be over a year by now. They looked it anyway. She knows its been two winters since the world ended. But it was winter when it started. She remembers giving birth to Cole in the hotel with Jade. She lifted up the two from crawling on the floor. She washed the sand off them and put them on the large bed. 

She found toys upstairs the babies could play with. Some blocks and learning toys. Hope wasn't speaking much. But Cole was saying a few words. Bridget decided to kill some time by trying to teach them a little. 

~~~

The only four to go on watch that night wereAce,  David, Charlie and Gavin. Gavin explained the rest of his people will take shifts after a schedule was set. Gavin stood at the front with people he came to know as Bobby and Ellen. It was very simple. Walk the perimeter. If you see something get someone's attention or take it out quietly. Never go outside of the gates if it's not necessary. Especially at night. 

Charlie stood watch in what they called the tree house. Two large "Tree houses." They were higher than all the trees in the campsite. You could see everything from inside. She was with two other women, Billie and Kat. 

Lastly David and Ace stood watch in the back, at the gates surrounding the lake. He was with John and John's 20 year old twins, John Jr. and Justice. 

It was quiet. This place was relatively safe. 

Charlie looked out the tree house ledge and saw the campsite next to them, it was at a distance but she could see it through binoculars. "Is that the military?"

"Their assholes, we saw that they weren't a real campsite shortly after everything began and we tried to get help from them but they basically told us to die." Billie said. "We tried going back after we ran out of the food the first time but a man called Robin shot and killed my husband and said 'Come back and the rest of you will die too.'" She stated. 

"Oh damn." Charlie said with fear. Billie had her kids in the tree house with them. 5 month old Bobby, named after her father, and two year old Shelly. They were sleeping on a futon on the floor. 

"So is it actually safe here?" Charlie asked. 

"Yes, they don't bother us." Billie told her. 

It was a quiet night. 

The people in the back night finished. They caught a few fish, threw them back though. They didn't have to worry about other people getting them. The Lake was fully enclosed in this campsite. It was huge. 

Gavin was good in front. He saw a few infected. They didn't seem to notice them if they were quiet. Ellen told him about the friends they have. The people they had out there looking for food. Gavin told them why his brother is acting the way he is. 

They understood. To lose a barely 4 month old baby is traumatizing. 

The sun rose a few hours later just as they saw an RV pull up to the gates. 

They didn't expect it back so soon. Bobby and Ellen feared something was wrong. 

"It's the girls." Ellen stated as she stood out of her chair. They waited till the Rv pulled up. 

“Not the girls.” Bobby saw the door open. 

“Your in the wrong RV?” Ellen said as Peter stepped out of the RV. 

“The girls are dead.” Peter said. 

“What?” Bobby grunted in anger. 

They let the RV come in. 

“What happened?!” Bobby demanded answer. 

“Our RV met up with there's, we were coming back they were going the way we came. We felt our tire blow out but it isn't just one, we got out and saw someone shot out our tires with wooden darts. We looked around for a minute but saw nothing, until we did. We heard a rustling. These people came charging at us. They looked feral. Like beast. They started hitting us, fighting us. They had weapons but they seemed wooden and handmade. I was fighting two of them off when I saw Gene and Grace get taken down.” Peter said. You could see the fear in his eyes as he spoke. The sadness in his voice as he spoke. 

His partner Chris started to speak. 

“I tried getting Ashley and Fawn but the dead started cumming. We lost Rhett and Greese when they tried fighting these people off. They didn't even seem to care that the dead were coming.” Chris spoke. “When we realized it was just us left and we knew we couldn't get their bodies we just got in the girls Rv and took off. We made twist and turns to make sure no one could find us.” 

Bobby Chris and Peter took some time to talk privately. Gavin and Ellen went to gather the group up for breakfast. 

“This never happens.” Ellen told him. 

They gathered up the people and headed to the bingo hall. They saw two women he met last night, Kathy And Linda. They have three kids. Linda was pregnant when they were accepted into the campsite. She just went through in vitro fertilization. She wasn't even sure she was pregnant until the symptoms came. Their youngest daughter would be the same age as Sabrina would be. 

"Hey ladies." Gavin smile. 

"Oh hey handsome." Kathy said with a smile. She has short spiked black hair. She's wearing a plain white tank top and ripped up jeans. 

"Wheres the kids?" He asked. 

"Sleeping soundly." Linda lifted the baby monitor. Then she started cracking eggs. 

"Where did you get the eggs?" He asked. 

"We have a couple of hens." She told him. 

He wants to get a better look around this place but it till take a long time. It’s huge. He has been here before. Once with Summer but that was so long ago. And a lot has changed. 

"Theres some finished eggs in the microwave for the early crew." Kathy stated as she went to comfort Peter and Chris. 

"Thank you." He reached in and dished some scrambled eggs onto a paper plate. He saw his friends coming in and getting food as well. 

They all sat at the same table. 

"It's barely 6." Gavin said. 

"Hey new kids, come back at 1 and get a job assignment." Justice jokingly stated. 

"Got it." Gavin stated. 

The group talked for a few minutes and finished their food. Charlie told them about the camp next door. They weren't really worried though. 

Gavin told them about Peter and Chris. Than they worriered. 

They went back to their houses. Charlie and Dean were in a trailer. It was perfect for them. One big bed in the back. A cozy dining table and two chairs. It must have belonged to a single man though. Just had mens clothing in the dresser. Charlie didn't mind the shirts but the pants were too big. 

Ace went to his house he saw his grand daughter running around and saw his son asleep. “You woke up before daddy?” He asked. 

She nodded. 

“If you wake up you have to wake up daddy to, you know that.” He reminded her. “Let's go wake up daddy.” HE teased. 

Gavin went back in. Sebastian was passed out on the sofa. 

Bridget came out in a large shirt and no pants, she was half asleep. "Gavin." She sleepily questioned. 

"Go back to sleep." He whispered. 

"It's fine." She said. "I had to give your brother a sleeping pill i found in the medicine cabinet. I was only trying to help him. He was having nightmares. Thrashing his body around and freaking out. So I just, I'm sorry, but he was suffering."

"It's fine. He needs it." He worried this would break his brother. He already has a short fuse. This might make him blow. 

She offered her hand out. "Come sleep." 

“I want to check on the boys first.” He told her. 

He went upstairs and cracked open the boys door. Mark and Matthew were fast asleep. Hunter was fussing in his bed. Gavin went over and tucked him in a little tight. The snug blankets made him feel safer, even in his sleeping state. 

He checked on Sky and she was sound asleep as well. 

He went downstairs to see Bridget waiting for him by the bedroom door. She offered her hand once more. This time he took her hand and he followed her. She was on one side with Cole in front of her. Gavin was on the other with Hope in front of him. 

He let himself feel comfortable, even though he knew he shouldn't.  Especially with this new trouble. 

~~~

Peter and Chris spoke to Bobby and Ellen. 

“Do you trust these new people?” Chris asked. 

“Do you think they attacked you on the road?” Ellen asked. 

“No, they're to clean. We just need to be careful. Those people were feral.” Peter said. 

 


	14. The Rain

Gavin and Bridget were awoken to the boys banging on the door. 

Gavin jumped. "Whats a matter?" He asked when he pulled the door open. 

"We're bored." Matthew stated. 

“We want to go swimming!” Mark shouted. 

"Giving me a heart attack." Gavin mumbled. 

Gavin turned his head and looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was 9:15. 

“Pool doesn't open until 10,  Lets go see about breakfast." He stated. "Get your shoes on and jackets, dont leave the house." He saw them scatter. 

"I can take them if you want to keep sleeping." Bridget stated. 

"No, It's okay." He lifted up a half asleep Hope. 

Bridget went up stairs to get Sky. She was sleeping still. Bridget gently woke her up and they went downstairs. 

Gavin went to look at his brother. "you okay?" He looked up but didnt say anything.

Gavin woke up only a few minutes after falling asleep earlier because Sebastian was having a night terror. He managed to calm him down and get him back to sleep. He wasn't sure when Sebastian woke up though. 

"I'll bring you some food." He promised. 

Gavin was holding Hope. Bridget was holding Cole. They went out to the gulf cart. Matthew and Mark were in the back. Bridget was in the middle with Cole on her lap and Hope next to her.

Hunter sat in the front. Gavin drove.

They got to the bingo hall quickly.  Everyone was there, eating breakfast. Gavin set up all his kids and Bridget's at a table He went and got food for them all. He already ate but got a plate for Sebastian.

“She spent the night at your place.” CHarlie playfully asked as she helped him back to the table with his multiple plates. 

“It wasn't like that.” He told her. 

“Could be, you just have to go for it.” SHe wanted him happy. SHe knows he deserves it. 

They got to the picnic table and handled out plates. 

They had some mindless chatter and relaxed. It was hard but it happened. 

"Since everyone one is here, we made some changes to the schedules." Ellen stated loudly. "Each day we have four people drive a 4 golf carts around the walls and make sure its safe. We break for breakfast and dinner. Then we have watch, at night. Two in front. Two in the middle. Three in the back. All day two people will be in the middle houses and they'll switch at night. Then switch in the morning. You never get the same watch shift two days in a row. We assigned night shifts based on kids and people to watch them. Come check out the shift schedule now." Ellen stated as she put the hand written list down. 

They started going over, new and old. 

"This list will be left on the wall inside.  So there will be no confusion." Ellen stated. 

"There are cooks and clean up crews as well." Kathy stood and stated. "Most often the people on clean up just do dishes, make sure the shower houses are clean, the laundry is done. We do have some detergent. Make it last. Cooks, morning and lunch are the same person. Dinner is different. Everyone will have a different job at some point. You wont have the same job everyday. You may not even have a job everyday." She lifted a hand written list. "Check your shifts for cooking and clean up here. This list will stay up as well." 

After checking the watch schedule, people headed over to check the cooking and clean up schedule. 

"Two breakfast shifts?" Bridget asked. 

"The overnight watch eats early, six to seven. Everyone else eats between nine and ten." 

~~~

As everyone talked and ate Mark asked. “Can we go in the pool?” It was pretty windy. 

“Sorry, we didn't fill the pool today. It looks like it's going to storm.” Billie told him.

He pouted and Gavin scolded him for being disrespectful. 

They went on with their days. They took their new assignments and were ready to go. They had someone posted on the playground for the kids. 

Gavin was on patrol. He took the plate of food to his brother first. Sebastian seemed disinterested but he put in on the coffee table anyway. 

He asked the boys if they were comfortable staying in the house or at the playground. They chose the playground. A women named Maggie watched them. She has a two small kids playing there as well. Gavin kept Hope with him. He just felt more comfortable keeping her close by because she was the youngest and couldn't get away fast enough if something bad happened. 

The way they did watch was one golf cart goes around the right one golf cart goes around the left. Then a second set goes around an hour after the first one left. 

Bridget was on clean up. She has Cole in a laundry basket, wheeling him everywhere she goes. Sky stayed with the boys on the playground. She cleaned the first bathroom, it was clean. Just had dirty sheets in the laundry area. 

Just was she finished the first one it started to pour. It didn't start with a drizzly. Just a large clap of thunder and down it poured. 

"Oh no baby." She lifted Cole out of the laundry basket and rushed back to the bingo hall. 

All the kids were inside now. 

"Bridget." Mark hollered. She came over. 

"They wont let us play!" He hollered. 

"Calm down, it's raining. Gavin would not let you play in it either." She told him. 

Gavin was annoyed it was now pouring and he had Hope. She was covered under the roof of the golf cart but still, its windy. He kept driving and made it to the middle point where he ran into Mark Wesford going the opposite way. 

"Head back-" The thunder started. Hope started screaming. "This rains not going to let up." Mark said. He had on a long sleeved flannel and took it off revealing a plain blue shirt. "Here, wrap her." 

"Thanks." Gavin grabbed the shirt and wrapped her up in it. She was in a car seat so he just tucked the shirt around her. She was still crying as the thunder became louder and more rain poured. 

It took Gavin a while but he made it back to the bingo hall within a half hour. Hope was soaked. So was he. He feared she would get sick from this. 

He saw Bridget with his kids. 

"I was going to take them back but I didnt want to overstep." Bridget said. 

"It would have been fine." He stated. 

It was getting cold and windy. "Weathers been so fucked up these days." Bobby stated. 

"Worlds gone to shit, why not the weather too." Justice said as she zipped up her black jacket. 

“Here.” Kathy came over with a warm dry blanket for Hope. 

“Thank you.” Gavin wrapped her up. 

"Whats that sound?" Gavin heard a loud rumble. 

"The others." Bobby said calmly. "Their on ATVs. Their not supposed to come this far up though." 

The noises came closer. "Why aren't they stopping at the garage?" Justice worried.

"Get to the gates." Bobby stated. 

"All kids back in their houses now!" Maggie ordered. 

"Whats going on?" Gavin asked. 

"They know not to bring the noise from the ATVs this close. There's a garage behind the camp their suppose to park." Gavins group of people rushed to get the kids back to their houses and Gavin and Johnny followed the others to the front gates. It was pouring with thunder louder than a heavy metal drum solo. 

They saw an empty ATV crash into a tree. 

"There's blood!" Justice shouted as the rain washed the blood from the seat. 

"Where are your exits?" Gavin shouted over the thunder. 

"Behind the lake, the garage and right here!" Bobby yelled. 

"Get three people with weapons too each gate." Gavin insisted. 

They split up leaving, a man named Dylan, Sam Wesford and Aces son Daniel at the front. 

Billie went to the tree house, she looked around with the binoculars to see if anybody was coming. 

"Theres two people by the garage!" She yelled. 

They started scattering. 

Gavin made it to the garage with John and Peter.

John and Peter recognized the two men. 

They opened the garage and pulled the two beaten and battered men in. 

"Hank, George. What happened, where are the others?" John asked. 

In between breaths Hank said. "They're dead."  

“What?” John asked in confusion. 

They moved into the ATV shack. Hank and George explained how these men attacked them and without killing them started to try and eat them. These people looked crazed. But they weren't infected. They were just savages. Feral beast that tried to murder, rape and eat them. George had a knife wound on his thigh. He was stabbed. Hank has a bullet hole in his side. They were both covered in bites on different parts of their bodies but insisted they weren't infected. These people were infected. 

“Did you lead them here?” Bobby worried as he came up behind them. .

“No.” Hank insisted.

“We heard the ATVs in the front.” Gavin said.

“Who the fuck are you?” Hank asked.

“Answer him, why were the ATVs in the front and you weren't.” Bobby asked.

“We were on it, we fell off. It kept going. We ran to the back.” George said because Hank was stubborn.

“Go get cleaned up.” Bobby told them. “Get someone to stitch you up.”

“Feral beast?” Gavin questioned. “Just like what the others said.”

“We don't need to worry about it.” Bobby said. He knew they had to worry but he didn't want to show it. 

“We do.” Gavin insisted.

“Not now. Go home to those kids.” Bobby instructed.

Gavin did as told. He couldn't risk pissing off a man who took him in.

~~~

Ellen looked to Bobby once Gavin was at a distance. “We’re going to have to figure out who those men are. We can't have them coming here.” She wasn't going to go against her husband in front of  stranger. 

“As long as they don't know where we are, were safe.” He stubbornly told her. 

“They could know though. They could have followed them here. They could be right behind them.” She was scared and angry. “Three of our men are dead, six woman from yesterday and 2 of the men with Peter and Chris. Those two said, living men, tried to eat them. That means we have cannibals on our hands. Have people gone that mad already?” She asked him. 

He could see she was scared. 

He held his wife of 35 years. “I’m never going to let anything happen to you. Or our family.” He promised. 

John pulled up to the ATV garage where his brother was and asked. “What the hell is going on?” He was angry. “Those two are eaten up but swearing that their not infected. The dead didn't do it, do we have something to worry about?” He asked. 

“Probably.” Ellen said. “But we’ll handle it.” She stood by Bobbys word. 

Everyone was soaked. Dripping wet and cold. They locked gates, put people on watch and went home. 

  
  



	15. The Truth

Gavin and his group were safely in their homes.

~~~

David and Charlie warmed up. They were in a trailer but they chose it, even though there was a house available. It just seemed more comfortable to them. This place had working heat and electricity due to solar panelling. But they didn't need the heat to warm up. They made love for the first time in months. It's the first time they could actually be alone together. David missed feeling her and holding her close. At this moment they felt like the only two people in the world. That's how she liked it. That's how he needed it sometimes. 

~~~

Dani and Dean put their daughter down for a nap. She slept peacefully with a small pink dog she had from the department store. 

They were in a house. 

They decided to share with Johnny and his family. It just felt safer. 

Dean and Dani sat in the kitchen and talked for a minute. “What GAvin said, should we be worried?” SHe asked her husband. 

“We should never stop worrying.” He admitted. “We have a beautiful daughter. The dead are piling up around us but they're not dead were moving around and eating us. Not there people doing the same thing. We can never stop worrying.” HE didn't want to scar her but it was true. 

~~~

Johnny and Anne put there sons in a room to play. THey had race cars and toy soldiers to distract them. They went into the room they claimed as theirs. 

Johnny was scared to admit it but he was scared. 

“How are you?” Anne asked him. 

“I should be asking you that.” HE told her. 

“Probably but I’m looking at your face and I’m seeing a man who looks like he wants to run or break something.” 

“It’s a little bit of both.” He admitted. 

“Talk to me.” She asked him. 

“What Gavin told us. Living people, eating, murdering and raping other people. All I keep thinking about is, what if these people followed them here? Will our boys be safe? Will you be safe?” He admitted. 

“This place seems secure.” She was just as worried but wanted to comfort him. “We just have to take it one day at a time.” It probably wasn't helpful but it was all she could think to say.” 

~~~

Ace sat in his home in a lounge chair he claimed as his. His grand daughter Bailey snuggled up in his arms. 

Jack and Liz were in his their trailer cuddled up on the sofa. 

Daniel in his room in Aces home. He tried to keep to himself. 

Jameson was in the kitchen making Bailey a snack. 

Liv and Johnny were in Johnny's room. Ace didn't like them alone together but he didn't have the patience to fight with them right now. 

Johnny and Liv were being sneaky and he knew it. He didn't know what they were up to but he didn't trust it. 

~~~

Gavin and Bridgit put the kids upstairs to play. They all were in the boys room. 

Gavin told Bridget what the men said. She was scared.

“I promised to keep your family safe.” He assured her. “And I will.”

He looked over and saw his brother still on the sofa. He was dirty, hadn't touched his food.

“Please Sebastian eat something.” He knelt and begged his brother. “You know Jessica would want you to eat. Live for her.” Sebastian didn't budge. “You have to eat.” He lifted a small piece of scrambled egg and Sebastian smacked it out of his hand in anger. “You don't want to live for your wife or daughter, or even yourself, live for your son then!” He grunted in anger.

Sebastian looked up at him. He didn't know what he meant.

“What?” He questioned.

“Hunter.”

“You're insane.” Sebastian sat up. He was furious now. How could he say something so untrue when he just lost his only child. 

“You fucked Haley when Dean had his accident and couldn't even get out of bed. She told me everything the day she found out she pregnant. She begged me not to tell you. She didn't know you had a girlfriend. She never met you or Jess before. Out of respect for Jess I never told you.” “That doesn't mean he's mine.” He yelled.

“It does, when she took a fucking avuncular tests using my DNA and found out I’m his uncle.” Gavin told him in anger. “I never wanted to tell you that way. But Hunter knows. Dean told him in anger many times. He's scared. He doesn't understand anything. Help him. And He’ll help you!” Gavin shouted.

“He's 4!” Sebastian shouted.

“He can still help you! He’s a smart boy.” He shouted back. “So be a fucking man!”

Gavin walked to Bridget.

She gave him a disappointed and shocked look. 

Sebastian stormed out the house.

“Is that true?” She asked in a hushed tone.

“Yes.”

“You shouldn't have told him that way.” She shook her head. “Go get changed.” He was soaking from the rain. He went to the back bedroom and found a clean outfit in the bed. Cole and Hope were playing blocks on the floor. He grabbed his clothes and went to the bathroom.

~~~

The day calmed, Sebastian hadn't returned and the rain hadn't stopped either.

There was a knock on the door.

Gavin answered. “Kathy.”

“Brought some food.” She handed him a basket with what seemed like a few take out dishes. “Too much rain for everyone to head to the hall.” She saw Bridget was here. “Heres your basket as well.” She handed it to Gavin too. She could see something forming here. But she wasn't sure if it was a good thing or bad thing, in this world anyway. 

“Thank you.” She was under an awning so she wasn't getting wet. “Have you seen my brother?”

“No.” She told him.

“Okay.” She left and headed towards a different a house.

“What is it?” Bridget asked as Gavin put the baskets on the dining table.

“Slice of meat on each plate. Probably leftovers from yesterday. Some mixed noodles and sauce.” He said as he started opening dishes.

“Kids!” Bridget hollered. “Dinner!”

~~~

Mark and Sam were in a large house near the front. Mark put their youngest twins in the high chairs. Sam jr, Holly and Austin sat at the kids table able to feed themselves. The two parents feed the twins. They avoided the mess from earlier. They never spoke about this kind of stuff in front of their kids. 

~~~

Andrew and Kat were eating dinner in their small house. They placefully danced with the kids as they ate. 

Andrew and Kat are very playfully. Their house is covered in the kids finger paintings. Kats ten years younger than Andrew. He met her a week after hs wife left him with a 1 year old and a newborn. They’ve been inseparable ever since. 

~~~

Johnny and Maggie argued about the things they were told. Maggie wanted to ignore it. John wanted to find them and get rid of them before they came here. 

Johnny Jr didn't agree with his dad but Justice did. 

Of course. She always does. 

18 year old Taylor didn't want anyone going out there. She was scared. So were the 8 year old twin boys. 

~~~

Bobby and Ellen frankly talked with Billie as they ate. Her two kids were two young to understand. 

Bobby wants to believe their safe but he doubts they are. This is just to much. 

“We have more people now.” Billie said. 

“Yeah but we just lost 11.” Ellen told her. 

Ellen saw Bobby lost in his head. His john deere hat covering his eyes. “What's going through your head.” She asked.

“I bought this campsite 20 years ago.” Ellen knew why. Bobby hasn't spoke of it since then. “When you were five and the house was broken into.” 

“I never knew that.” She told him. She was too young to remember. 

“I wasn't home. I couldn't protect your mother then.” He wasn't going to tell Billie everything that happened. 

“Bobby.” Ellen never blamed him. She put her hand on his arm. 

“I will not let anything happen to my family now.” He assured them both. 

~~~

Kathy just got back from handing out the food baskets. 

She was soaked. “Did the kids eat?” She was in a trailer behind the bingo hall with her family. 

“Lacey and Kasey did but Cody is being stubborn.” Linda told her. 

Kathy looked over at her 10 year old daughter building something strange with popsicle sticks and glue. 

Kasey was in her bouncy seat dozing off. 

Kathy went over to Cody. 

“What's wrong buddy?” She knelt down. 

“My belly hurts.” He told her. 

“Alright, let's go relax.” She picked him up and put in on the sofa.

She walked over to her wife. 

“It’s probably just the rain, you know how he gets.” Kathy leaned in for a kiss. “Go get changed, your soaking the floors.” She teased. 

~~~

Peter and Chris have three sons. Two fully grown with partners and a 3 year old. Peter was feeding Markko, the youngest. 

Chris was resting on the sofa. They both were exhausted. In pain and sore. But they knew they needed to push through. 

There oldest son Peter Jacob “PJ” was with his wife of 7 years, they married as soon as they turned 18. But never accomplished their goals of getting out of PJs dads basement. Currently they were in a small house next to Peter and Chris. They played darts to distract themselves. 

Their younger son Dylan is 24, dating a man named Derek, 28. They’ve been together since Dylan 15. Peter and Chris hated Derek for the longest time but they came around when they saw how Derek protected Dylan, made sure he was happy and always comfortable. Currently they were in bed, letting their food get cold. It didn't matter as long as they had each other. 

~~~

George and Hank were patched up. They went to there trailer. They were both terrified and scared but wouldn't admit it. They just went to their bed and didn't sleep. 

Normally George would hold his lover. But neither one wants to be touched after what they’ve been through. 

~~~

Dinner ended.

Sebastian came back. He was soaked. It was still pouring. 

He saw the kids still at the table.

“Your foods on the table.” Bridget told him. He grabbed it and began eating on the sofa. Soaking it in the process. 

“Go get changed!” Gavin ordered. 

“Fuck off.” He grunted. 

“Maybe I should take my kids and go to the trailer.” She suggested.

“Why don't you get your clothes and stay here, permanently.” Gavin offered.

“Not really enough room.”

“The boys stay where they are. Sky takes the girl room and the babies take the nursery.” He said. “I’ll share the sofa with-” HE wanted to insult his brother but he just gestured towards him. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He told her.

She moved in that night.

But Gavin didn't take the sofa. Bridget wanted his company. So he gave it to her. They just slept. Sebastian stayed on the sofa. He had no urge to do anything. 


	16. Welcome To The New World

A day came and passed. 

Two days. 

Three days. 

Four. 

Five. 

Six. 

Seven. 

Eight. 

Nine. 

Ten. 

Sebastian has done nothing with Hunter. Gavin didn't expect him to but the not doing anything is what making Gavin crazy.  The people in the camp have done nothing about the man who killed their people on a run. The first couple of days they talked about it but nothing now. 

Gavin was feeling cooped up and ready to bust. 

He was never one to stay in and do nothing. Before the end he always went hiking, camping, took his kids to parks. He was never one to stay home. 

~~~

"You doing okay?" Kathy asked him when he showed up at breakfast. 

"Yeah." He lied. 

She sat next to him. "You want to go out looking for those people who hurt our men dont you." She asked. He looked at her questioning how she knew. "We’ve all talked about it. And I can see it in your face."She's smart and tough. "I want to go looking too. But I have three kids. I can't risk their safety. It's bad enough the dead are piling up even more around us. We have to kill them every day, more and more each time. We can't go looking for trouble. Our kids, families deserve better." She reminded him. "Speaking off." She pointed to Bridget bringing all the kids over. 

Kathy stood and patted Gavin on the shoulder. "Remember, we do whatever we can for them." She left to continue on breakfast. 

At breakfast they saw Billie rushing over with her baby strapped to her chest. She was scared and shaking. 

"What is it?" Her father saw her and asked. 

"Theres-Theres so man-many coming." She stuttered. "To many." She worried. 

Bobby rushed to the towers. He looked out and there were so many. He's never even met that many people, and he ran a campground. 

He didn't know what to do. 

Gavin took charge. "Get all kids, anything that makes noise inside and hidden." He ordered. "I want anyone able to get a weapon and go to the front." People started scattering. 

"I've got the kids." Bridget told him. She gathered the kids into the golf cart and started to drive. Hope and Cole had booster seats to help keep them secure. 

Gavin rushed to the front. He hid in the admissions office by the gates. He started to see people rushing to the front. 

Once they all gathered inside Gavin spoke softly. 

"Listen to me. They're at a safe enough distance right now. Stay hidden. If one or two comes close kill it as quietly as possible. When the group comes you hide. There's to many to take out on our own. Our only hope is to stay as quiet as possible and pray they past us without deciding to put too much pressure on those gates." They separated into different positions. 

They only had 25 people at the gates. It was never going to be enough.

They feared this was the end. They could hear the moans and growls. The saw the bodies dragging closer. 

The tension built in all of their chest. 

The fear that after trying so hard to survive you just die, there was never any chance.

Then they heard it, a loud roar of an engine. They saw a tank pull out from the camp next door. They saw two pull out. Then three. With men fully armed and ready. Within in moments the dead were now dead. Guns and tanks, shooting them and rolling them over. Not a single one survived. 

When the guns and fighting stopped, when the bodies dropped, Gavin and the people in the camp went out the gates. They were greeted by two man. One with long dirty brown hair and another with scruffy black hair and a almost fully gray beard.

"Welcome to the new world." A man they would come to know as Andy stated. 

“Get back inside.”  Bobby said. “Get away from my people.” 

“The men you met before are dead.” Andy spoke again. 

“You were there!” Billie yelled in tears and pointed at Nate, the one with long dirty brown hair.\

“I’m Nate. And if I would have stopped him then my kids would be dead. He's dead now.” Nate told her. Andy took pleasure in that. He killed the twisted son of a bitch. 

“We’re not asking for anything, but six months ago when Robin killed your men you needed help.” Nate said. “We’re offering that now.” 

“No!” Billie yelled. “You can all die like my husband did!” She shouted. 

“Go back inside.” Bobby told his daughter. 

“Dad?” She questioned him. 

“Go.” She went inside. 

“Sitting out here is not safe.” Gavin stated. 

“We’re here if you want to expect our offer.” Nate got his men to go back inside. The camp went back in as well. 

“We have to talk.:” Gavin looked to Bobby with conviction in his words. 

“Get the people?” Bobby asked his wife after they locked the gates. 

Bobby sat in the admissions office. What was he supposed to do. 

This other group had the supplies to keep them safe. They have a tank and more guns then he could possibly imagine. 

After awhile he saw some of the people of his group gather came around and some of Gavins group. 

“Let's go inside.” He offered them into his house. 

They all sat at the large dining room table. 

Gavin, David, Charlie, Ace Dean and Johnny sat on one side. 

Johnny, Mark, Kathy and Peter sat on the opposite side. 

Bobby and Ellen sat on the ends. 

“If we get to know these people-” Gavin tried to speak. 

“NO!” Billie yelled from the sofa.

“Billie.” Bobby stopped her. 

“I don't know what happened then. If they killed the man who killed your husband that should be something.” Gavin stated. 

“I can't agree with you.” His friend Johnny said. 

Gavin looked confused. They’ve agreed on most things. 

“You don't know these people. The only interaction with them is someone killing Billies husband and now them coming out with a tank showing their weapons.” Johnny explained. 

The older Johnny, John, agreed. “It's a pissing contest.”

His wife didn't. “They have the weapons we might need.” She told them from the kitchen. 

“What happened? A week ago you didn't even want to leave this camp. Now you want to trust people who threatened to kill us all?” Her husband questioned. 

“I was at the gates the day Billies husband was shot. The men who were out there. Were not outside today. The only one was the man who introduced himself as Nate.” Kathy said. “I remember everything from that day. He didn't came over until after your man was dead. He looked terrified. And I clearly remember the man he called Robin told him. “ _ “This doesn't concern you!” _ .Does that seem like someone who willingly participated?” She asked. 

“They could be hiding. Tricking us. They could be the ones who attacked George and Hank!” Mark said. “Peter and Chris. Killed our people.”

“They’re not.” George said. “The men who attacked us have layers of dirt caked on them. Some were scared and cut up. They were animals. There's no way it was them.” 

“You been quiet.” Bobby said to Charlie. She’s normally mouthy and playful. 

“I don't feel right giving my opinion.” She admitted. 

“Why?” David questioned her. 

“I use to be a surrogate mother. I carried a few babies for families I trusted. I was a surrogate for Nate when he was with his first husband. The guy tricked everyone especially myself and Nate. But Nate found Andy and they were great for each other. They even asked me to carry for them.” 

“That was him?” David questioned. He was with her then but she wanted to keep him separate from her “job”. 

“Yeah.” She admitted. 

“Did you do it?” Ellen asked. 

“No.” She told them. 

“Why?” Billie asked, looking for any reason not to trust those others. 

She was hesitant. She actually got teared up. “I was already pregnant.” 

She miscarried. Her and David never tried again. 

“So tell us about him.” Bobby said. 

“I ran background checks. I don't know anything about Andy. Nate was in the army. He went in as a teenager. I couldn't find out anything about his time there but when he got out he started a career at a car shop. That ended quickly. He started working at a family gym. No criminal record. I carried his first child I think like 9 years ago.” SHe told them. 

“We need to think.” Bobby said.

“Why?” Mark asked. “They went back. They're not giving us an ultimatum. I say we just ignore them.” That's all he could think to do. 

“We can't.” Maggie said. 

“We should!” Billie yelle. 

“I personally don't think we should ignore them but we could vote on it.” Gavin suggested. “Everyone Votes. Anonymously.” 

“What are we voting on?” Maggie asked. 

“Ignore them or get to know them.” Gavin offered. 

“Sounds easy.” Maggie said. 

“We’ll vote tomorrow. Let everyone have time to think.” Bobby stated. He was annoyed and needed to think for himself anyway. “No get out of my house.” He told everyone. 


	17. Sickness

Everyone had a vote. Everyone had to think. It was barely one o’clock so they have a lot of time on their hands now. 

“We have to go on with our day.” Dean stated. “Do what we have to do.” They started walking to their golf carts and back to their stations. 

Anne walked next to George and Hank. “You two healing up okay?” 

“That one keeps overworking himself but yeah.” George said about his partner. 

“From Philly right?” Anne asked. 

“Yea.” He said. 

She knew from the way he talked. 

“Gavin is too.” 

“Doesn't sound like it.” Hank jokes. 

She caught up to Peter and Chris. “How about you two? You okay?”

“Yeah. All healed up.” Peter joked. 

“Sebastian?” Gavin questioned him coming up the road. He was shocked he was even off the couch. 

“Bridget needed me to tell you Hope, Sky and Cole are sick.” 

He knew they were getting congested but he didn't know how bad. He got on the golf cart and rushed towards his house. He left his brother in the dust. 

“Fucker.” He grunted. 

Gavin went inside. He could hear the baby's screeching. He took Hope off Bridget so she could tend to Cole. 

“Shh sweet girl.” He rocked her. “Boys!” Gavin hollered. They had to be eight years old now. They ran down. “Do me a favor.” He asked. 

“Yeah.” 

“Very carefully go see if you can get Anne.” He asked them. “Hunter you stay close.” He was the youngest. At least 6 now. 

They rushed off. 

“Bridget.” He got her attention. “Go run the shower. Hot water. Close the door and window. Build up the steam.” She handed him Cole. Sky walked to him and climbed on the sofa. He's done this before. He's cared for two sick babies before. This was three. He knows what he's doing or at least that what he's telling himself. He put the screaming baby's on the sofa and grabbed a baby wipe that was nearby and started to pick the gunch away from their noses. Sky was just cuddling up to a blanket. 

He could hear the shower running now. 

The toddlers were agitated and angry. Sky didn't seem to care. Bridget came down. “It's steamy.” She told him. 

“What is he doing running around by himself.” Sebastian brought Hunter in. 

“He should have been with Mark and Matthew.” 

“I got distracted.” He admitted with sadness. 

“With what?” Gavin asked. 

“The sky rats.” He yelled and Sebastian burst out laughing. 

Gavin lifted the sick toddlers and Sky grabbed his shirt hem.  He told Sebastian in anger. “He really is your son.” Sebatian use to call all birds sky rats. He always thought they were out to get him. 

“Hunter stay in the house.” He told him. “Sebastian go find the twins and Anne. Now.” He was annoyed. He took the three up to Bridget and the steam almost automatically helped. After a few minutes they stopped screaming. 

“Gavin!” Anne hollered. He handed Hope to Bridget. Gavin met her in the hall. His clothes were damp from the steam. “Are they okay?” She worried. 

“They just seem like they have a cold but it hit quick.” He stated. 

He could see the worry in her face. “What is it?” He asked. 

“Johnny and Maggies kids are sick. All 5. Adults and kids. It hit them quickly too.” SHe told them. 

“This isnt right.” He said. 

“Let me see them.” She went inside the bathroom. 

She could see they were congested but also very snotty. “Have they been  coughing?” She asked. 

“Before we got them in the steam.” Bridget said. She slightly coughed without opening her mouth. 

“We need to quarantine everyone sick.” Anne sid. “Clean the areas that the sick have been and figure out what they have in common.” 

“I’m not letting the kids alone.” Gavin said. 

“I’ll be there.” Bridget said trying to hold back her coughs. “Get out.” She told them. “We’ll stay in here until you figure out where everyone is going.” 

GAvin and Anne left. 

“We need medicines.” She told him. “Hot soups, nasal drops for babies and adults, hot tea without caffeine and honey. Hot pads, humidifiers.” She couldn't give the baby's anything strong. “We need disinfectants, bleach, cleaning spray, rags.”

“Anne!” They heard someone yell. 

They rushed out. “You're a doctor right?” 

“Kinda.” She explained to Joan. 

“We have a lot of sick people.” She worried. 

“Get everyone sick to a clean empty house. Get everyone healthy to a clean empty house.” She instructed. “Tell everyone.” She told the people around her. 

“210 is empty, very large. I would say put the sick there.” Ellen said. “Put the healthy in the 300s. They're empty.” 

“Let's go.” Joan said. 

“NO!” Anne stopped them. “Put a mask on. I saw some in the laundry room. Gloves too.” 

They started walking off. 

Gavin figured. I was already around them so no need to get the mask. 

He went up to Bridget in the bathroom. She had the toddlers in a laundry basket, Sky lying on the rug and she was on the floor. 

“I’m taking you and the baby's to a different house okay?” HE asked. 

She nodded. She lifted Cole and he lifted Hope and Sky. Before she came down he told Sebastian “Take the boys to a different house. Anything in the 300s.” HE told him and the boys rushed out. 

Gavin got Bridget and the kids down and into a golf cart. She really looked bad and it's only been 5 minutes since she started coughing. 

They drove to the house. 

He brought them in and they saw a lot of sick people. “There's an empty room upstairs.” 

Linda said. She was soaking in sweat and cradling her son Cody, her 10 year old daughter Lacey sleeping next to her. 

He took them upstairs to an empty room. 

There was a large bed. He got them all set up. 

“I’ll check on you in a little bit.” He told them. “I’m going to find some medicines and get you better.” He promised. 

Gavin got out and rushed to the front. 

“We’ve got humidifiers around the camp. Maggie and Johnny are dropping them off at the house now.” Ellen told them. 

“What about Medicines?” Anne asked. Her husband Johnny came up behind her. 

“We have what we grabbed from the departments stores pharmacy.” Johnny said. 

“I’ll go through it, see what we can use. I need everyone else to figure out how they got sick and what they have in common. Make sure everyone gets hot soup and tea.” She told them. “Billie why don't you help me go through the stuff.” She asked. Billie walked towards the nurses station where they kept the medicines with her baby's in a twin stroller in front of her. “I’ll be there in a minute.” She whispered to Bobby and Ellen. “We might need to go next store and see what they can do. Or see if they had anything to do with this.” She stated. She rushed over towards the nurses station. 

“I’ll work on the soups.” Dani offered. Kat followed her. 

“George and Hank are going out. They made a list of what Anne said to look for.” Ellen said. “How many people are not sick?” She asked. 

Bobby, Sam and a few others thought. “Roughly 25 including us. The rest are sick.” Kathy said. She had her youngest in a carrier on her chest. 

“Is anyone willing to go in between.” Ellen asked. 

Everyone stood silent for a minute. 

Gavin got to them and asked. “What's going on?” 

“Trying to decide if somebody should go next door.” Kathy told him.

“I’ll go.” Gavin offered. “Wheres Charlie?” Gavin asked David as he came over. 

“Sick.” He stated. 

“I’m sorry.” He truly meant it.

“I’ll go with you.” He wanted to get Charlie better anyway he could. 

“Me too.” Chris offered.

“Let's go.” Gavin stated. They climbed in a golf cart and headed towards the center, where Billies husband was shot. 

It took a few minutes. But when they got there they saw two armed men. 

There was ten feet of empty space separating the two camps gates. 

“Get your leader.” Gavn told them. “And a doctor.” He ordered. 

The two armed men walked off. A few moments passed and they saw Nate again. 

“What did you do?” David asked with anger. 

“We haven't done a thing.” Nate said. 

“After us meeting with you almost half of our people are sick within minutes.” Gavin said. 

“Get Stuart.” Nate ordered his men. He knows what they're talking about. “Take him around the front.” 

“What is this?” Gavn asked. 

“We’ll met you at the gates and explain.” Nate stated in a hurry. “Keep men at the gates. Get the suits and met them around the front.” He told one of his men quietly. 

The three men got back in the cart and drove towards the front. They ran into Tempy in the middle. She was panicked and frantic, clearly crying. 

“What's going on?” Gavin asked. 

“Chris, tell Bobby to let them in. David go with him.” He stated. He climbed out of the cart and went with to the house, They saw a large commotion. They now had guards outside it. Mark and Sam. 

“I can't let you in.” 

“Is someone dead?” He asked. 

“Yes.” Sam answered. “John and Maggies twins, Justice and John Jr.”  He told them, they were clearly sad, they were their niece and nephew.

“My kids are in there!” Maggie yelled in tears. 

“We need to get the bodies out of there.” Gavin said. 

“The people inside wrapped them and put them in the basement.” Mark said. “We can't risk people going in and getting sick. This sickness is spreading within minutes.” Mark shouted. “It’s only been an hour since our meeting.” He reminded him. 

They heard the sound of a jeep and quickly saw the military jeep and several men inside. They were wearing hazmat suits. 

“How many are inside?” An older man with a hint of a british accent asked. He had a large white locked box. 

“To many.” Mark stated. 

“What is this?” Gavin asked. 

“I’ll explain later! I need to see them.” He was angry and annoyed and just plain grumpy. 

The two men moved aside and the the men in hazmat suits went inside. They saw the people, coughing, sneezing, shaking, drooling. The symptoms were all different for the different people. He could hear the baby's crying. 

“Are any dead?” Stuart asked. 

“Basement.” Was all Charlie could manage to say. 

“Take their temperatures.” He put the large white box down. “If it’s under 105 give’em the shot. If it’s not, put them in the basement.” Over that he knew they were dead. 

The four hazmat men started. “There's people upstairs.” Charlie breathlessly stated. 

Two men rushed up. 

Stuart took Charlies first. “103. Your lucky.” He pulled out the needle and small vile of liquid and injected her with 4ml. “You’ll feel better in an hour but you won't be able to do much for a couple days.” He helped her sit up.

“We got a 106!” A man yelled. “And It's a kid.” Stuart rushed up. 

It was Linda and Kathys daughter. 

“Give her  the dose anyway.” He instructed. 

“It won't work at 108.” The hazmat man stated. 

“She's a child!!” Stuart yelled. “Just fucking do as I say!” He ordered. 

He looked towards Linda who is trying her hardest to hold both of her kids but is truly to weak. She had no idea what was happening. When he injected Lacey. She went peacefully. The fever would have killed her cruelly. Linda couldn't be saved either. She died from a seizure. Bridget took her son to keep him safe.  

Stuart looked over to bridget and the kids. They were barely moving. Bridget could barely realize what was going on. Her vision was blurry and her body was shaking. 

Stuart took her temperature. She hit 105. He gave her the shot. Checked the three kids and thankfully they barely hit 103. They were dosed next. 

“Wrap them up.” He ordered his men. When he was done checking this room. 

“What's happening in there?” Gavin asked Nate. 

“Think of this sickness like a sequel to a movie. Worse than the first one.” Nate stated. 

“So my friends and family being sick is a part two to what?” Gavin asked with fear and anger. 

“The dead living again.” 

“A few months back, a lot of my people got sick. Stuart ran test, compared it and found it was a strain of virus that is connected to the virus the living dead have.” Nate explained. 

“So what's he's doing will cure it?” Mark asked, thinking he meant the zombie infect completely. 

“Only this strain. He tried the cure and variations of it on the living dead and it doesn't work. Some types made them wild. Some made them crazed. Some didn't do anything at all.” Nate explained. “Only plus side to getting this shot is when you die you won't turn.” 

“Wait, so this is like a guard?” Sam asked. 

“Not really. If you get bit or scratched the infection will spread and kill you but you won't turn. If you die of natural cause you won't turn.” Nate told them. 

Stuart came out and took his mask off. 

“There's 10 dead in there.” He stated. “But the rest have been given the shot. They’ll feel better in an hour but shouldn't do much for a few days.” 

“Who?” Maggie asked asked with worry and in tears. 

He was scared to say, fearing they would be her babies. “Adult twins. A mother and child. A couple. Three teenagers and an adult that were close together, .” 

She broke out in tears. She dropped to the ground and her husband cradled her in shook.

“I’ll get everyone around.”

“We’re out of the cure.” Stuart told him. “And I can't make more.” 

“You should burn that house and whatever other house the sick were in.” Nate stated. 

“How did this start? They got sick in minutes.” GAvin wondered. 

“Probably the bodies out there. One or more probably died from the sickness and spread to one of your people and it just got passed along. You have to wear a mask when you go out. Or something to cover your mouth. Gloves. Don't come in contact with their blood, guts, breath.” Nate told them. “They're deadly, in more ways than one.” 

The house of the infecteds door opened. Charlie stood at the door. 

“Charlie?” Nate asked. “I want to say you look great.” 

“Oh baby I always look great.” She tried to be sarcastic and playful. “We need food, lots of it.” 

Gavin saw Bobby, Ellen, Johnny, Maggie and Andrew coming up each in their own golf cart. 

“Are they still contagious?” Bobby asked. 

“No.” Stuart said. “But the house might be.” 

The people inside slowly came out and gathered into the golf carts. They went to new trailers near the front. Where their families could move in with them. 

“My men will help you burn the houses down and control the fires. It’ll leave rubble, that won't be pretty but at least you won't be taking the chance of getting sick anymore.” Nate stated. 

“Not today.” GAvin said. 

“What?” Nate was confused. He thought they would want to get clean quickly. 

“It’s to much today.” GAvin told him. “We really appreciate this but Not today.”

Nate and his men left. 

Gavin took the opportunity to check on his family. 

The boys were all safe and happy. Sebastian was shockingly caring for them. He had them playing a mixed game of candyland, uno and monopoly. Sebastian loved creating new games from old ones. 

They were in a new trailer on lot 5. Bridget was still separated. Just to be safe. She was going to spend the night in lot 12 with the babies. Gavin checked on her next. She looked better. All of their fevers had gone down. They gave Cody over to Kathy and she thanked her for taking care of him. The kids were actually napping now. She couldn't, she was scared. Afraid she wouldn't wake up. Gavin confronted her. She was just happy she couldn't remember what happened in there.

So many deaths in one day. It was pointless. 

Gavin was just happy the day was almost over. 

Johnny, Maggie and several other started burying bodies. Johnny and Maggie cried over their kids. But they still have three more, they won't give up the fight. 

Ace lost three sons and his sons girlfriend. His second oldest, Daniel. His sons Jim and Johnny and Johnny's girlfriend Liv. He mourns quietly but feels this loss so hard. 

When night fell Bobby told Gavin. “We need to check the gates. No ones on watch tonight.” 

They walked over and went to check. The front gates were open. Billie checked the tree house. She could see the RV at a distance. But it wasn't moving. 

She climbed down and rushed to the front. “The guys are in trouble.” She said breathlessly from running. 

They cautiously went out the gates, armed and covered. They slowly walked up towards the RV it was a good distance not to be noticed by them but still close enough to get there and back quickly. 

They listen first before entering. They could hear the growls on the infected. They just assumed they got sick while driving and all turned. 

“Cover your mouth.” Gavin said. They both pulled the scrap fabric up and covered their mouths and noses. Gavin opened the door and no one came out. He cautiously stepped in and killed an already turned George. He stabbed him in the head. Hank noticed him and he was able to quickly kill him with his gun. It was loud but necessary. 

“I can't take this shit anymore.” Bobby cursed. “I fucking can't!” HE yelled. 

“Let's just get back.” Gavin instructed. 

They quickly ran when they saw the dead start to gather. Not much, just four.

They got back in the gates and locked them. Sealing them tight. 

This day was finally over. 

 


	18. Vote

Gavin woke up to Hunter tugging on his foot. 

“What's wrong?” Gavin asked groggily. 

“He told me to torment you.” Hunter pointed to Sebastian. He had a smug look on his face. 

Gavin stood out of the lounge chair. “What time is it?” He asked. 

“7:30.” Sebastian said. 

“What are you doing up so early.” He asked the kids. 

“We’re hungry.” Matthew said. 

“You couldn't have taken them to eat?” Gavin asked Sebastian. 

“Breakfast doesn't start till 8.” He told him. 

“Get dressed, get your shoes on.” Gavin told them. 

Gavin opened the trailer door and saw the people gathering. 

“What's going on?” He asked his friend Johnny. 

“We’re getting something to eat than Bobbys holding the vote.” Johnny said. “Annes going to see about going over there. It seems safer. More sterile and secure.” 

“Are you serious? We don't know them.” Gavin reminded Johnny of what he said. 

“We didn't know these people.” He said.

Johnny headed back towards his family. 

“Stay here.” He told the kids. Gavin went over and checked on Bridget. She and the kids were so much better. 

He sat next to her. The three kids were playing on the floor. Hope looked up at him, her big eyes staring. 

He put his hand down and she grabbed it, just wanting to hold on to him. 

“We’re all much better.” She told him. 

“That's really good.” He smiled. “They're holding the vote today.” He told her. 

“What are you thinking?” She asked his opinion. 

“Johnny and Anne are going to see about moving next door. They said it's probably safer, less contaminated.” He told her.  

“I get that. We wouldn't have to burn these houses down if we knew no ones was going to go inside them. We wouldn't be risking the fires spreading and becoming out of control.” She explained. 

He knew what she meant. 

“Let's get these kids ready.” She stood up. 

She and Gavin put the kids shoes and jackets on. 

They went outside and joined Sebastian with the boys. 

“We’re not going to the bingo hall. We’re meeting at the game hall.” Sebastian told him. 

“That's an easy walk.” They started walking down the road. Gavin carried Hope. Bridget carried Cole. The boys and Sky ran ahead. 

“Thank you Sebastian.” Bridget told him. 

Gavin was chasing the boys with Hope. 

“What?” He was confused. 

“You stepped up. You've been helping Gavin and he needed it.” 

“It's nothing.” He stated. He doesn't like being emotional.

They got to the game hall. 

“Everyone feeling better?” Gavin asked Charlie. 

“Yeah.” She smiled. “Give me that sweet girl.” Hope went right to her. 

“So we had a problem last night. The chickens must have caught the infection and they all died. We don't want to risk using the eggs so all of it has been trashed.” Kathy told them. 

“We still have the powdered stuff right?” Charlie asked. 

“Yes, that's why I made pancakes.” Kathy brought out the first tray of pancakes. She was hiding her sadness. 

Everyone ate breakfast, calmly. There was sadness and some fear but they were pushing through. 

An hour passed. People were finished. 

“I guess it's time.” Mark stated as he picked up his two youngest off the floor. He put them in a large playpen. 

He handed out pieces of paper and a random assortment of pens. 

“Two simple things.” Mark said. “Ignore them. Get to know them.” 

“Depending on the winning vote we take it from there.” Bobby said. 

Gavin looked at the people he knew well. Writing their votes down. Folding the paper and putting it in the large metal mixing bowl. 

Bobby waited until everyone who could cast a vote did. “Ellen and I will tally them.” He took the bowl and they walked towards the game hall office. 

Twenty eight adults that could cast a vote. 

First they Unfolded the papers and sorted them. Put the  _ ignores _ on the left and the  _ get to knows _ on the right. Than they counted them. 

They took the votes and left the room. 

“We counted them.” Ellen said. “Ten for ignore and eighteen say get to know them.” 

“NO!” Billie yelled. “I will not get to know them!” She yelled. “They are murderers!” She shouted. 

“That's enough.” Ellen said. “If it wasn't for them, we would all probably be dying or dead by now.” She told her daughter. “I think they were telling the truth about killing the ones who were bad. They wouldn't have helped us if they wanted us dead.” She told them. 

“Unless it's just part of some ploy to get us to trust them. How else do you explained us getting so sick so quickly.” Billie yelled. 

“It's like a part 2 to the infection, the man Nate, told me about it.” Gavin explained. “One of the infected must have been sick when they died and that's how we got sick.” 

“I don't care!” Billie yelled. 

“Billie!” Ellen shouted. “I understand your anger but you can't blame everyone for one person's actions.” Her mother tried to explain to her. 

“I’ll volunteer to go over there.” Gavin said. 

“Than you can stay there.” Billie yelled! “We don't need traders here!”

“Billie!” Her dad scolded her. “Go on watch in the towers.” He ordered. 

“I’ll go too.” Bobby said. 

“Need a third?” Anne asked.

“No.” Johnny stopped her. 

“Yes.” She sternly stated. 

“We’ll go in the middle.” Gavin looked towards Bridget. 

“Don't worry I got the kids.” She told him. 

“Thank you.” 

The three got on a cart and headed towards the middle. 

Gavin, Bobby and Anne sat quietly in the golf cart as they headed towards the middle were they knew the man would be on guard. They saw Nate walking by with a baby in his arms. “Had a feeling I would hear from you soon.” He told them. 

“We want to take you up on our offer and get to know you better.” GAvin told him. 

“Some of us want more.” Anne told him. 

“Some aren't sure what we want.” Bobby said. 

“Alright.” He handed his grand daughter to a man named Quinn. “Take her to Andy.” 

“Come around front.” Andy told them. “We’ll talk.”

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> if you point out spelling or grammar error nicely i will fix them.   
> please let me know what you think??


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